Storybook, from start to finish

By Joe Schackman

Darren Clarke captivated the golfing world over four masterful days at the Open Championship, but most importantly, did it with a touch of class.

I'm going to be completely honest here: I have major commitment issues. It all stems from a very personal relationship that started when I was a young kid. It was great for a few years, legendary in fact. Then, one horrible Thanksgiving night, it all came crashing down to earth. I haven't been the same since and I swore to myself I would never trust another person. I would never let someone like Tiger Woods hurt me again.

As overblown as that may sound, in many ways it is true. As a young golfer, Tiger Woods was an obsession. He made golf "cool" and popular and turned the sport into front-page news. For the first time, my friends were asking about this foreign and bizarre game of golf that I played. Out of gratitude and awe, I put Tiger Woods on the ultimate pedestal.

There have been millions of words published about Tiger in the last year-and-a-half, so I won't bother to much more. But when the endless reports of his infidelity began to replace the highlights of his spectacular career, it completely changed my perspective on athletes. Tiger morphed from idol to entertainment. I still watched and enjoyed his play, but only because of what he could do to a golf ball.

This view began to swallow up my entire thinking on athletes. I realized I have no idea what these guys are truly like; they all could be cheating on their wives. They could all be scumbags and I would have no way of knowing. Why anoint Phil Mickelson as the nicest guy in golf when nobody actually knows Mickelson? I refused to root for a specific athlete because a sports writer claimed he was a "good person."

But that's what makes Darren Clarke so fucking confusing. Watching him win the Open Championship was the most fulfilling golf tournament I have seen in three years. From the moment he seized the lead over the weekend, I couldn't help but root for the guy. Not because of his golf talent but because I wanted him, as a person, to win the biggest tournament of his life.

It was exactly the opposite of how I swore I would now judge athletes. Every story I've read about Clarke oozed over his kindness and generosity. No one had a bad thing to say about the man. And being the sucker that I am, I just wanted to believe every word.

That's not to say his play wasn't fantastic. His third round was a ball-striking clinic. With the majority of the field faltering in the horrendous weather, Clarke went out there and played like it was a sunny, Wednesday afternoon. If it weren't for a few missed putts early, he might have put the whole tournament away on Saturday.

It was probably a good thing he needed that final round, because it turned into a truly magical day for Clarke. This time he made a few crucial putts early and was able to avoid the mistakes that eventually doomed Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

Being the local boy, the crowds were definitely in favor of the Northern Irishman. However, this was not just a case of geography. Clarke's wife Heather passed away in 2006 after a two-year battle with breast cancer. It was a mere six weeks before the '06 Ryder Cup, an event where wives join their husbands on center stage. He had to endure and grieve in public, standing in the open ceremonies, holding the hand of Amy Mickelson instead of his wife (a moment now that can be looked upon with painful irony, as Amy Mickelson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009).

On the course, Clarke rose to the occasion, controlling his emotions for four days and helping lead the Euros to an easy win. When he finished his final match (a singles victory of course), he broke down on the shoulders of his caddie and teammates in one of the most emotional golf scenes of the last 20 years. European or American, your heart went out to Clarke.

His game took a nosedive shortly after. His obvious grief and responsibilities as a single father took over his life. A player who had once been a mainstay in golf's top 10 and defeated Tiger Woods in the finals of the 2000 WGC Match-play Championship dropped out of the top 100.

Yet in 2009 he moved his two young sons back home to Northern Ireland with his new fiancee. With his family close, Clarke was able to recommit himself to the game and round back into top form. All of the work paid dividends last weekend, helping him to the most important victory of his career.

Even so, Clarke's most amazing moment of the tournament wasn't even a golf shot. After he drained a huge eagle putt on the par five 7th hole, the massive crowd erupted. His playing partner, Dustin Johnson, very much in contention, still had to putt. Clarke turned to the crowds and hushed them so Johnson would not be distracted during his crucial birdie putt. Clarke refused to accept whatever unfair advantage the crowd would have given him. While Johnson was trying to steal away the tournament, Clarke was determined to make this a fair fight. It was an act of class and grace that was rewarded with the Claret Jug.

In that moment, I realized that this man might be as good as billed, that he might be the real deal. And I decided, who cares about Tiger Woods? We all need to start trusting again sometime. Right?