Darren Clarke’s British Open Win Redefines Career Marked By Loss Both On Golf Course and Off

Darren Clarke seemed unsure of how to handle the crowd's roars Sunday at Royal St. George's. From a distance, Clarke's win at The Open Championship may have looked like more of the same. Clarke is the third Northern Irishman to win a major in the last 13 months, while the often-mentioned U.S. drought continued.

Clarke's win was anything but ordinary, though. He turned professional 21 years ago and since then had won as many majors as you or I have. He often made the cut and always fell short.

Actually, that "21" should come with an asterisk, because Clarke missed a portion of the 2006 season due to a loss far greater than any he suffered on the golf course.

Heather Clarke, his wife, died at 39 years old in 2006 after a long battle with cancer. Her condition became more serious early in 2006, leading Clarke to stop playing after the British Open that summer to be with her and their children.

After her death, Clarke pulled out of the next tournament, only to return for the Ryder Cup. Heather had reportedly loved the Ryder Cup. European captain Ian Woosnam invited him. So he went.

Clarke did not mention Heather in his public address Sunday after accepting the Claret Jug. His parents and his fiancee, Alison Campbell, watched the whole thing with smiles on their faces. Yet it would be hard to believe Heather wasn't on his mind.

Finally, there is an image of Clarke not associated with letdown, personal, athletic or otherwise. He apologized to the Open officials for all the "Irish black stuff" he planned to consume Sunday night. He's earned a few sips.