Open champion Darren Clarke lashes out at critics for targeting his bibulous celebrations
While Darren Clarke might have welcomed all the praise he was bestowed upon after his maiden major victory at the Open Championship, he had little realization for all the scathing criticism which followed afterwards, targeting his endless celebrations.
Many of his fellow players as well as the media men have revealed that Clarke has literally turned into a “bibulous freak” in celebrating his victory and is likely to remain that way for some time.
The Northern Irishman, however, turned down the criticism and reiterated that the critics must keep distance from what he does in his personal life.
“There’s been a little bit of chat about ‘he shouldn’t have had a drink, he shouldn’t have done this, he shouldn’t have done that’,” he said. “People need to get real. I won a golf tournament and people are concerned about whether or not I had one pint too
many. I mean, get a life - it’s sport.”
Lee Westwood, one of the close associates of Clarke also revealed last week that the 42-year-old Irishman has been a little “incoherent” in his text messages and have been making a lot of spelling mistakes suggesting that he might have been over drunk lately.
Whether Clarke’s strong clarification was aimed at Westwood’s comment or did it really target the media men, is still unknown but what Clarke must realize is that being a celebrity of his stature, his personal life hardly remains personal unless he chooses
to step back in wilderness, like Tiger Woods.
Clarke won the first major title of his career, the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s and unleashed a whole new world of media limelight on himself. He probably took it reasonable to take a plunge in endless spree of celebrations only to find out later
that his personal life isn’t so personal anymore.
Clarke took the better of the field at the Open Championship, posting solid rounds all through the weekend to edge past the contenders by three-shot. Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson finished for a joint second place.
Clarke particularly mentioned the horrific incident that happened in Norway where some 76 people were gunned down in twin attacks by a religious fanatic.
“I was featured on radio shows and phone-ins and that sort of stuff - debates. People are entitled to their opinion, but there are bigger and more important things than me winning a tournament,” Clarke was referring to the Norwegian tragedy.
The Northern Irishman feels he has turned a new leaf in his career after his victory at the Open Championship and hopes to capitalize on the gain. He was finally able to win the championship after a painstaking 20 attempts and has bagged some three million
pounds for his success. Clarke is only the fourth Irishman to win a major in the sport after Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy.
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