BIG-HEARTED Tim Clark has overcome years of injury and form issues to win the 2014 Canadian Open.
The 38 year old South African ran down overnight leader Jim Furyk to take the US PGA Tour event by a stroke. Clark shot five final nine birdies to post a 5-under 65.
Clark suffered a myriad of injuries in 2011 – causing him to play only four events that year – and had struggled in 2013-2014 — having previously made just 10 cuts in 20 events.
“If I stay in this sort of frame of mind, there’s no reason why I can’t keep it going,” Clark said . “The next two events are big for us, and I’d love to keep it going.”
Clark’s last win was in 2010 when he took out The Players Championship and his knock-about character also made him a popular* winner of the 2008 Australian Open at Royal Sydney (*about as popular as a South African can be after just beating an Aussie in Matt Goggin in a playoff for the national championship).
Whilst Clark’s confidence has been given a big boost, it was the opposite for Furyk, who was left ruing the fact he had been unable to convert a 54 hole lead into a win for the seventh straight time.
“It was a benign day, and 69 is not a bad round by any means, but by only making two birdies I let a couple guys back into the tournament,” he said.
Robert Allenby was the best placed Aussie, closing with a 4-under 66 to finish on 7-under tied for 20th.
Lyle continues comeback on Web.com
Meanwhile, Jarrod Lyle continued his remarkable comeback to tournament golf after beating cancer a second time.
Lyle finished tied for 11th at the Web.com Tour’s Midwest Classic in Kansas after shooting a final round 2-under 69 to finish on 11-under.
America’s Zack Sucher (72) won the event on 19-under while the best placed Aussie was Aaron Price (71) on 12-under tied for 6th.
2014 Canadian Open Leaderboard