Darren Clarke performed as to the manor born with a closing round of 68 to lift the Compass Group English Open title at Marriott Hanbury Manor with a 20 under par total of 268.
The 30 year old Irishman finished two ahead of last season’s Challenge Tour graduate John Bickerton, who produced a magnificent closing 65 to make Clarke work hard to earn the fifth European Tour title of his career.
Clarke, who started the final day five shots ahead of the field, seemed to be on easy street when he holed a bunker shot at the first hole to move seven ahead of the field.
However Bickerton dug deep and at one stage moved within one stroke of Clarke before the Ryder Cup player drew on his vast experience and birdied the 12th and 15th after a 90 minute storm delay to claim the title.
Clarke admitted it was a sweet feeling to win again and added: “After my tough start to the season a lot of people were asking questions about me, so it’s good to turn it around and win again.
“I had a five shot lead, so I had everything to lose. I was expected to win and it was a different scenario to what it might have been if I’d been one ahead or one behind. So to hole a bunker shot at the first was a good boost.”
Bickerton birdied seven of the final twelve holes to secure the runners-up position and the biggest cheque of his career with an 18 under par total of 270. As a man who had been struck twice by lightning in the space of three weeks back in 1989, the storm delay concerned Bickerton – but not enough to affect his game.
“It’s a nervous thing” he said. “I saw a strike in the distance but I didn’t know how far away it was.”
Bickerton’s chance disappeared with a bogey at the 13th where he duffed a chip, but the Midlander recovered sufficiently to birdie the 15th and 17th to beat off David Carter (69) and Stephen Leaney (69) for second place.
Carter and Leaney shared third place on 274 while Colin Montgomerie (70) and Andrew Coltart (70) tied for fifth on 275.
Bickerton said: “I thought if I shot something like a 67 I might have put pressure on Darren. Still, it’s lovely to have over £200,000 at this stage of the season, especially with my first child on the way. It’s nice to give the new baby a head start in life.”
