Darren Clarke wins PGA Tour Champions playoff in Sioux Falls
— (AP) — Darren Clarke won the Stanford International on Sunday for his third PGA Tour Champions victory of the season, beating K.J. Clarke, the 53-year-old major champion from Northern Ireland, closed with a 5-under 65 at Minnehaha Country Club, birdieing the par-4 18th to match Choi and Steve Flesch at 12-under 198. Clarke won the TimberTech Championship in November for his first senior title and took the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in January on his next tour start. U.S. Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker (67) was 9 under. Retief Goosen (69) was 8 under with Alex Cejka (71), John Senden (65) and Steven Alker (67).
wftv.comChoi, Clarke share PGA Tour Champions lead in Sioux Falls
Choi closed eagle-birdie-birdie for a 7-under 63 and share of the first-round lead with Darren Clarke in the PGA Tour Champions' Stanford International. The 51-year-old South Korean player won eight times on the PGA Tour. “It’s very comfortable here, everybody is supporting Sanford and the tournament is going good and the golf course is in beautiful, fantastic shape. “I just liked this golf course from the first time I came here and I’ve really, really enjoyed it.” said Clarke, who shot 62 on the course last year. Stricker, set to lead the United States against Europe next week at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, birdied the last two holes for a 67.
wftv.comDarren Clarke, James Kingston share Senior British Open lead
BERKSHIRE, England — (AP) — Darren Clarke shot a 5-under 65 on Thursday at Sunningdale for a share of the Senior British Open lead with James Kingston. The 52-year-old from Northern Ireland won the British Open in 2011 at Royal St. George’s. “I played smart around here,” Clarke said. Didn’t make anything at the end, but just played smart. Jim Furyk, the U.S, Senior Open winner two weeks ago in Omaha, Nebraska, closed with a double bogey for a 70.
wftv.comDefending champ Stricker joins 4-way Regions Tradition tie
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — (AP) — Defending champion Steve Stricker birdied the final hole Friday for a 3-under 69 to move into a four-way tie for the lead halfway through the Regions Tradition. Stricker joined Madison, Wisconsin, neighbor Jerry Kelly, Monday qualifier Alex Cejka and first-round leader Darren Clarke atop the leaderboard in the first of the PGA Tour Champions' five majors. It was a huge turnaround from a rocky PGA Tour Champions debut in February when he closed with a 78 in Arizona. Two-time champion Bernhard Langer's 69 put him only two strokes back in pursuit of his 12th PGA Tour Champions major title. “I need to cut out the bogeys,” Pride said.
wftv.comDarren Clarke shoots 66 to take Regions Tradition lead
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — (AP) — Darren Clarke took the lead Thursday in the Regions Tradition, opening with a 6-under 66 in the first of five PGA Tour Champions majors. The 2011 British Open champion from Northern Ireland had a one-stroke lead over Stephen Ames and Jerry Kelly at Greystone Golf & Country Club. “Majors are majors, it doesn’t make any difference which tour they’re on,” Clarke said. Clarke started on the 10th hole with back to back birdies and added three straight birdies before making the turn. He added birdies on Nos.
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