Clarke reveals family joy

Darren Clarke has revealed how his son Tyrone ran three times around the back garden to celebrate his dad's first European Tour win for five years.

Single dad Clarke, 39, grabbed the BMW Asian Open with a dramatic 40-foot putt on the 18th - just 20 months after the death of his wife Heather with cancer.

Sons Tyrone, 10, and Conor, 8, had never seen their father lift a title, even though he won in Japan in 2004 and 2005 and led Europe to Ryder Cup glory in 2006.

And Clarke was proud to show them that the old man can still play a bit and give them some joy after a traumatic period in their young lives.

Set to tee it up alongside John Daly in the Spanish Open in Seville today, Clarke said: "A lot of the work I have been putting in has not only been for myself but it's been for the boys to try and make them proud of their daddy.

"They have been through a hell of a time as well, not just me, and it has been difficult for them.

"When I did win the last time - they have seen me play in Ryder Cups and stuff but I don't think they can really remember me winning before so this was very special.

"I got home yesterday (Monday) at about 5.30pm and Conor was home and he gave me a big hug and kiss. Then I went to pick Tyrone up from school at about 6.15pm and he jumped in the car and gave a big hug and kiss and said 'well done daddy'.

"I said 'what did you do Tyrone?' and he said 'when you holed that putt on the last, I ran out the front door and ran around the front garden three times'.

"It's just nice to get home and have hugs and kisses from the boys. It meant so much because of everything I went through. Golf was pretty straight forward and pretty easy for me for the most part of my career.

"With everything that happened, Heather getting ill and passing away, obviously my golf took a back seat and I didn't play the way I knew I could play and it was a struggle.

"I was trying to get back there again. I was putting in so many hours and so much work trying to get my game back in shape again and it wasn't happening.

"To do it finally and to get the ball over the line felt great. It was tough but I managed to get there in the end."

Hell-raiser Daly has suffered a similar loss of form to Clarke, crashing to 595th in the world before being sacked by coach Butch Harmon after reports that he had been drinking in the hospitality tent of one of his charities at last month's Tampa Bay Championship.

But Daly said in Seville he was promoting his charity, not drinking and that Harmon has now apologised.

He revealed: "I called him the other day and he said he realised he didn't get his facts right and he felt bad about it. He has apologised to me."

Ireland's Paul McGinley, Peter Lawrie, Gary Murphy and Gareth Maybin will bid to become the fourth Irish winner in the space of eight weeks after dramatic victories by Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Damien McGrane.