WHILE World No.1 Jordan Spieth is now counting the day’s to his Christmas season break, European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke continues a whirlwind eight nation, three continent golfing crusade.
Clarke jetted out of Sydney Monday morning local time bound for Vietnam and this week’s penultimate Asian Tour event before then heading to Bangkok next week and the Tour’s season finale the Thailand Masters.
Clarke was mobbed at every turn by autograph and ‘selfie’ hunters at the completion of his Australian Open campaign of a last round 76 to share 30th place behind Australia’s Matt Jones.
The 35-year old Jones, who has been a member of the host Australian Club for 20-years, denied the double Major winning Spieth by a stroke from a successful defence of the title.
In contrast to Clarke, Spieth was heading east on a 15,000 klm journey to the Bahamas where he will defend the Tiger Woods hosted Hero World Challenge.
But after coming so close to joining Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as the only non-Australians to win back-to-back Australian Open titles, Spieth is clearly looking forward to a well-deserved Festive Season break.
“It has been a long season but then it’s also been a very triumphant year but then I only wish I would have taken more time during last year's off season,” he said.
“It was tough this year the way the dates fell but I am going to really try hard and soak-in as much as I can as from the end of next week before to heading out to Hawaii and in what will be the longest break I will have had this year.”
Clarke ended his round with a rousing 15-foot birdie putt from behind the flag and minutes after finding his ball lying up against a pine cone a hole earlier that really tested the patience of the 47-year old in rattling up a triple bogey ‘7’.
“It was a nice way to finish with a birdie but I just got totally punished at 17 as I couldn’t move the pine cone as my ball was resting against it,” said Clarke.
“Then when I played my second shot the ball bounced off a tree and remained in the tree line but overall I played nicely for the four days, and I have really enjoyed the opportunity to come back to Australia and compete.
“So given how well I feel I am playing I am looking forward to be heading to Vietnam for a first time and then back to Almata Spring in Thailand where I’ve competed before.
“So despite what happened at 17 I am alright and I still want to play as I feel fresh and I’ve got plenty still in the tank.”
However Clarke’s journey north from Australia does continue a whirlwind few months for Europe’s Ryder Cup captain having competed in the Portugal Masters, attended the Royal Portrush 2019 Open Championship announcement, competed in a MENA Tour event in Dubai, returning to Kuala Lumpur to inspect next January’s host EurAsia Cup course, tee-up in the Turkish Airlines Open, attend Ryder Cup meetings in Dubai during the recent DP World Tour Championship and then travel to Sydney.
“I have had a lot of my plate of late but I’ve got some great people around me so I’m fine but then I do have about three weeks off after Thailand to spend Christmas in the Bahamas with the family, so I’m looking forward to that,” he said.
“But then it’s back to Malaysia for the EurAsia Cup in January before starting to get well into the deep end with the Ryder Cup.”
And Clarke was heading to Asia with the Ryder Cup among his luggage having been instrumental in taking the gleaming gold trophy to Australia for a very first time, as will now be the scenario in journeying to Vietnam and Thailand.
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