Darren Clarke is one of four major champions to hail from Northern Ireland, and he has enjoyed a three-decade career with 28 worldwide wins.
Born in August 1968 in Dungannon in County Tyrone, it would be another decade before Clarke picked up the game of golf. He did so at the age of 11, but he would soon be making strides towards a scratch handicap and a promising amateur career. He won a quartet of amateur titles in 1990, before graduating from Wake Forest University and turning professional.
The Northern Irishman has had plenty of success, across a wide range of golfing tours. He has won on the PGA Tour, European Tour (now DP World Tour), Sunshine Tour, Japan Golf Tour and the Challenge Tour throughout his career, before going on to also win on both the PGA Tour Champions and the European Legends Tour since turning 50.
His crowning moment came at the Open Championship in 2011. More than two decades on from turning professional, Clarke finally secured his maiden major title. He was victorious at Royal St George’s, winning by three shots. Clarke has completed the Open-Senior Open double as well, having won the Senior Open Championship in 2022.
Along with representing the island of Ireland in the World Cup and Alfred Dunhill Cup, Clarke also featured for Team Europe in five consecutive Ryder Cups, helping the team to victories in 1997, 2002, 2004 and 2006. He was also the European captain in 2016 at Hazeltine.
Darren Clarke | Player Profile
Personal Information
Name: Darren Christopher Clarke
Born: August 14, 1968
Nationality: Northern Ireland
Residence: Portrush, Northern Ireland / Marsh Harbour, The Bahamas
Career
College: Wake Forest University
Turned Pro: 1990
Professional Wins: 28
Highest World Ranking: 8 – July 22, 2001
Best Results In Majors
Best Finishes:
– Masters Tournament – T8 (1998)
– PGA Championship – T9 (2000)
– US Open – T10 (1999)
– Open Championship – WON (2011)
Professional Wins – 28
1992 (1) – Ulster Professional Championship
1993 (1) – Alfred Dunhill Open
1994 (1) – Smurfit Irish PGA Championship
1996 (1) – Linde German Masters
1998 (2) – Benson & Hedges International Open, Volvo Masters
1999 (1) – Compass Group English Open
2000 (2) – WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship, Compass Group English Open
2001 (3) – Dimension Data Pro-Am, The Crowns, Smurfit European Open
2002 (1) – Compass Group English Open
2003 (2) – WGC-NEC Invitational, Benmore Developments Northern Ireland Masters
2004 (1) – Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters
2005 (1) – Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters
2008 (2) – BMW Asian Open, KLM Open
2010 (2) – JP McManus Pro-Am, Lough Erne Challenge
2011 (2) – Iberdrola Open, Open Championship
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PGA Tour Champions Wins
2020 (1) – TimberTech Championship
2021 (2) – Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Sanford International
2022 (1) – Senior Open Championship
2025 (1) – American Family Insurance Championship
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Darren Clarke
When and where was Darren Clarke born?
Darren Clarke was born in Dungannon in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland in August 1968. He did not begin playing the game until the age of 11, but he was quickly a scratch handicapper.
When did Darren Clarke turn professional?
Darren Clarke turned professional in 1990 after graduating from Wake Forest University, and within a year, he had become a regular on the European Tour.
How many professional titles has Darren Clarke won?
As of 2025, Clarke has won 28 times worldwide. The biggest of those victories came at the 2011 Open Championship, as he won his only major title. He lifted the Claret Jug at Royal St George’s after a three-shot win over Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.
Clarke has wins on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Sunshine Tour, Japan Golf Tour and Challenge Tour, along with victories on both the European Legends Tour and the PGA Tour Champions in the senior game – the biggest of those coming at the Senior Open Championship.
Who is Darren Clarke married to?
Darren Clarke is now married to Alison Campbell – his second wife. The pair were married in 2012, six years after Clarke’s first wife – Heather – passed away.
Did You Know?
Open & Senior Open Double
The Northern Irishman is one of just five golfers to have won both the Open Championship and the Senior Open Championship. His win in 2011 saw him join Gary Player, Bob Charles and Tom Watson in doing so, with Padraig Harrington joining the group in 2025.
THAT Emotional Ryder Cup
The 2006 Ryder Cup was going to be emotional for Clarke anyway, as it was being hosted on the isle of Ireland, at the K Club. However, just six weeks before the event, wife Heather passed away after a battle with breast cancer. Captain Ian Woosnam was unsure whether Clarke would play for Team Europe, but he did, and he won all three of his matches.
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Just how good was Darren Clarke in his prime? Can the Northern Irishman go on and win more senior majors on the PGA Tour Champions? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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