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Clarke clinches title with closing 66

Darren Clarke became the first Irishman to win on home soil since John O'Leary won the Irish Open in 1982, as the 32-year-old posted a 66 in the final round Sunday to capture the European Open. Clarke finished at 15-under 273, three shots ahead of Padraig Harrington, Thomas Bjorn and Ian Woosnam.

This is Clarke's eighth career victory on the European Tour.

After finishing second to Colin Montgomerie at last weekend's Irish Open, Clarke used timely birdies and a bit of luck to capture his first win of the year and move from 18th to fourth place on the Order of Merit.

Clarke started the final round three shots off the lead. His ascent began on the fourth where he sunk the first of three consecutive birdies, including the hole he considered to be the turning point, a birdie three on the 447-yard sixth.

His six-iron approach shot was far from promising until it hit a tree to the left of the putting surface and landed on the green eight feet from the pin.

"That was an outrageous bit of fortune and from where I should have been making five, I ended up making three, but that's the way it goes sometimes," he said.

That shot would move Clarke to 12-under par while Mikael Lundberg, the leader after three rounds, was beginning his disastrous conclusion to the tournament.

Lundberg bogeyed two holes on the front and two more on the back nine before he carded a pair of double bogeys at 16 at 17.

Clarke would bogey the seventh but answer with birdies at the eighth and ninth. The victory was secured on the back nine where he was flawless with birdies on the 11th and 16th.

Harrington finished with a 70 and a share of second place, his fifth runner-up finish on the European Tour this year.

"It was a decent performance but Darren played very well," he said. "Fifteen-under par is a very good total and one that was hard to get to without a doubt. I'm happy for him but disappointed in myself."

Alongside Harrington were Woosnam, who shot a 68, and Bjorn, who walked away with something other than a share of second place. With eagles on 16 and 18, Bjorn reached a total of 14-under par for the four rounds on the K Club's par-five holes. For this accomplishment he received a diamond necklace donated by Appleby Jewelers of Dublin.

"I think my wife is going to be a little bit happy that’s for sure," said Bjorn. "I don’t know what to do with it right now, but I’m sure we’ll have a little bit of fun with it."

U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen finished with a 66 for a 10-under-par total and a share of sixth place with Henrik Bjornstad.

Mark Mouland posted a 68 to finish in fifth place at 11-under.

The Swedish duo of Lundberg and Jarmo Sandelin did not have the finish they had hoped. The two were the last group to tee off with Lundberg at 12-under and Sandelin at 11-under after three rounds but they posted rounds of 80 and 77, respectively.

Two-time defending champion Lee Westwood finished at one-over 289, 16 shots off the lead.

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