February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Darren Clarke’s victory in the Smurfit European Open at the K-Club in County Kildare on Sunday has propelled the Ulsterman into the top tier of golf’s big league. He now stands at No. 10 in the world rankings with only days to go before the British open, one of golf’s four seasonal majors.
These are indeed heady days for Irish golf. Many feel that Clarke is potentially the best player in Europe on his day, and when his mental game is a match for his swing, there is virtually no golfer on earth he can’t beat. And that includes world No. 1 Tiger Woods, who knows what it like to lose to Clarke, at least in match play.
And then there is Padraig Harrington, whose second place in Kildare last weekend moved him to No. 16 in the world. The comment was made more than once during the last couple of weeks — a span that witnessed two top-class golf events in Ireland, the Irish as well as the European Opens — that Harrington is the most improved player on the tour in the last year. Certainly his form appears especially good right now and he clearly possesses one of the most balanced swings in today’s game.
And though he may be in a relative slump at the moment, we should not forget the talented Paul McGinley. With these three, Irish golf fans have cause to cheer expectantly for one of their own in just about any tournament anywhere in the world right now. May it last as long as a good drive.