I will have to reassess and set myself new goals, says Open winner Clarke

The 42-year-old Northern Irishman, who admitted afterwards that he had at times been ‘fed up’ with the game he has served admirably for two decades, lifted the Claret Jug aloft to the delight of thousands thronging the famous South East links.

A big man who wears his heart on his sleeve, Clarke’s victory will go down as one of the most welcome in the recent history of the 151-year-old championship.

As the oldest winner of the Open since Roberto di Vicenzo in 1967, he knows this may be his one and only foray into the major winner’s circle.

And with the title of champion golfer of the year ringing in his ears, Clarke acknowledges his already stellar career has peaked.

“It’s pretty amazing. It’s been a dream since I was a kid to win the Open. It just feels incredible right now,” he said.

Clarke held off the charge of Phil Mickelson on a day of few dramas, such was the composed manner in which he fended off the challenges.

Not even the howling wind and downpourings of driving rain which battered the links over the weekend could knock him off his game.

He dropped only three shots yesterday, two in the final two holes, the last of which denied him the accolade of shooting in the 60s for each of the four rounds.

Clarke played with the air of a seasoned major winner, not one who was at last-chance saloon.

He walked up 18 with the comfort of a four-shot lead over Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, before signing for a 70 and a three-stroke victory over both Americans.

It was his second title of the season, coming just two months after ending a three-year drought with a win in Spain.

And it was a first triumph by a Briton at their home major since Paul Lawrie at Carnoustie 12 years ago. It also restores him to the top 30 in the world.

Clarke’s career has been a roller-coaster of emotion, not least the 2006 Ryder Cup in Ireland when just three weeks after the death of his wife Heather he went unbeaten at an emotionally-charged K Club.

“The bad times in golf are more frequent than the good times,” said Clarke, who won on his 20th Open appearance.

“I’ve always been pretty hard on myself when I fail because I don’t find it very easy to accept that.

“And there’s times when I’ve been completely and utterly fed up with the game.

“But friends and family and (manager) Chubby (Chandler) say ‘get out there and practise and keep going and keep going’, and that’s why I’m sitting here now.

“I certainly had a few thoughts walking up 18. Thinking about the past.

“I just about managed to cling onto my emotions.

“I know she (Heather) would be very proud of me.

“It’s been a long journey to get here.

“At 42 I’m not going to get any younger but I’ve got here in the end.

“It might be the only major I win, it might not.

“At least I’ve gone out there and done my best, and my best was good enough.

“I’ve got to keep on playing. To be Open champion is just incredible.

“But I’ve got to go back, reassess and set some new goals.”

For now, though, Clarke can sit back and reflect on a terrific triumph.

The Guinness will have flowed last night, and in his acceptance speech he warned the R&A that he planned to fill the Claret Jug with a little ‘Irish black stuff’.

He was on his first pint in the champion’s press conference less than an hour after sealing victory.

Clarke had begun the day five under par, one clear of playing partner Johnson.

He stretched that to two with a long par putt on the first and a birdie on the second.

Mickelson got level after a characteristic charge from the four-times major winner, but Clarke eagled the par-five seventh to re-establish his authority.

He got a couple of slices of good fortune along the way but any major winner needs the golfing gods to smile on them, and he is a worthy champion.

“I got a couple of good breaks that went my way,” said Clarke.

“There are times when you get the breaks, and times when they go the other way.

“I didn’t take anything for granted until I was on the back edge of the 18th green.

“On 17 I was not going to do anything worse than bogey.

“I didn’t putt fantastically, but I was pretty solid.

“(Saturday) I played as good as I could play from tee to green and I didn’t really get anything out of it.

“(Yesterday) I played not bad; I played okay.

“My best was enough to win.”

Clarke’s ‘best’ sets up the prospect of the ‘Chubby Slam’ following the powerful ISM chief’s victories through Charl Schwartzel at the Masters and McIlroy at the US Open.

How fitting would it be for Lee Westwood to be the man to complete the ISM set at the US PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club next month?

Westwood, at 38, can look to Clarke, four years his elder, and Mickelson, who at 41 jousted with the new Open champion, and realise that age is no barrier.

Yorkshire’s Simon Dyson finished in a tie for ninth after a level-par 70 while seven Americans filled the top 12.

But the day, the Open, belonged to Clarke, who rose to the top of the leaderboard on Friday morning and stayed there to the end.