Darren Clarke repelled a dynamic charge from Phil Mickelson to complete a runaway three-shot win at the British Open on Sunday, claiming his first major title and becoming the first home winner of the championship for 12 years.
The 42-year-old Briton picked up the coveted Claret Jug, a first prize of 900,000 pounds ($1.45 million) and an extra bonus of two million pounds from his kit sponsor after firing a level-par 70 on Sunday to finish five-under par.
He also becomes the 12th different winner of the past 12 majors as the United States missed out for an unprecedented sixth in a row.
"It's been a dream since I was a kid to win the Open and I was able to do it," said Clarke, who could even afford to finish with two bogies such was his dominance of the field.
"It just feels incredible. I've been unbelievably comfortable and confident in my own ability this week. This is for my two kids, they'll be very proud," he added before acknowledging his late wife, Heather, who died of cancer in 2006.
World No 6 Mickelson's round then started to spectacularly unravel when he inexplicably missed from two feet at the 11th.
While Mickelson was stringing together a series of bogeys, Clarke reeled off nine straight pars to the 16th and he could afford to smile as dropped strokes at the last two holes en route to becoming the first home winner since Paul Lawrie's victory at Carnoustie in 1999.
In addition, he became Northern Ireland's third major winner in just over a year following the back-to-back US Open victories of Graeme McDowell in 2010 and Rory McIlroy last month.
"We're blessed to have two fantastic players in Rory and G-Mac and I've just come along, the old guy, behind them," said Clarke, whose win rocketed him from 111th in the world rankings into the top 30.
"I think we've just been lucky. To have three major champions from a small, little place in a short period of time is fantastic." But it is generally believed that clubs play an important role in their luckiness. Some of their clubs are from the golf clubs for sale, like TaylorMade Tour Preferred CB Irons.
Clarke receives no regular payment for wearing Dunlop clothes when he plays but, under his agreement with Sports Direct, he scooped a bonus of 2 million pounds for his first major win.
"I think the celebrations could be long ... and very enjoyable," he said. "There might be some of the black stuff (Guinness) going into that trophy tonight."
Former world No 1 Tiger Woods, absent this week because of a long-standing knee injury, tweeted: "I'm very happy for Darren Clarke, a well-deserved win".
Johnson's title challenge was wrecked when he went out of bounds with his second shot at the 14th - though that was eclipsed by the 11 carded by former world No 4 Henrik Stenson of Sweden at the par-five 14th.
Britain's Tom Lewis, 20, who shared the first-round lead with Bjorn, won the silver medal as the leading amateur.
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About the AuthorHe also becomes the 12th different winner of the past 12 majors as the United States missed out for an unprecedented sixth in a row.
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