Clarke earns first victory since 2011

Darren Clarke claimed his maiden PGA Tour Champions title at the TimberTech Championship

Former Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke secured a first worldwide title since his Open Championship victory in 2011 with a one-shot win on the PGA Tour Champions.

The 52-year-old followed rounds of 69 and 62 with a four-under 68 on the final day of the TimberTech Championship to end the week on 17 under and claim a maiden victory on the Over-50s circuit.

Clarke finished a shot clear of Bernhard Langer and Jim Furyk, with Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez a further stroke back in fourth ahead of Gene Sauers and overnight co-leader Robert Karlsson.

Darren Clarke played alongside Jim Furyk and Robert Karlsson on the final day

Starting the day tied for the lead, Clarke posted back-to-back birdies from the fourth and made a two-putt gain at the driveable seventh hole, only to have to take a penalty after a wild tee shot at the par-four ninth on his way to a double-bogey.

Clarke bounced back by birdieing the tenth and getting up and down from the greenside bunker to pick up a shot at the par-five next, before the Northern Irishman nudged in from two feet at the par-five last for a winning birdie.

Langer held the solo lead after six birdies in his first 13 holes but found water with his approach into the 15th and lipped-out with his par-save effort on the penultimate hole, with a birdie at the last only enough for him to finish tied-second.

Furyk also finished on 16 under after mixing five birdies with a sole bogey on the final day, while Karlsson slipped out of contention after making a double-bogey and two bogeys in a five-hole stretch on his back nine.

Watch highlights of Darren Clarke’s TimberTech Championship victory this week on Sky Sports Golf! Highlights will be shown on Wednesday from 6pm, Thursday at 7.30am and repeated during the week.