Clarke heals scars with Asian Open win

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland banished a few demons on the 18th hole in Shanghai on Sunday, sinking a 30-foot birdie putt to beat Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen by a stroke and clinch the Asian Open.

Clarke, needing a birdie to avoid a playoff with playing partner Derksen, and having nearly putted himself out of the game on the 16th and 17th holes, found the middle of the cup to card a one-over 73 for a total 280.

A thrilled Clarke, who lost his wife Heather to cancer two years ago, said: "It was always going to be a difficult hurdle for me to get back into the winner's enclosure after Heather passed away.

"But to turn around and make a brilliant last and win the cup feels pretty good," Clarke, whose last win on the European Tour was at the WGC-NEC International in Ohio in 2003, told reporters at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club.

Clarke, leading Derksen by two with three holes to play, did all he could to throw the tournament away, missing a par putt on the par-four 16th, then bogeying the par-four 17th to level the scores.

"My mind started going forward probably about 14 onwards. I lost my concentration and started thinking about Heather and the boys (sons Tyrone and Conor) and bits and pieces," Clarke said.

Few would have backed Clarke for a true putt after Derksen ratcheted up the pressure by placing a recovery chip from behind the green to within two feet of the flag.

However the putt dropped where so many shorter ones had missed and the Ulsterman raised his arms in the air.

"This is the very top. I have been working harder than I have ever worked on all aspects of my game, putting in nine, 10, 11 hours a day and it is nice to see it pay off," said Clarke, who picked up 243,507 euros ($379,700) in prize money.

Derksen, who conceded a two-stroke lead to Clarke after chipping into the water for a double-bogey on the 14th, battled to get back into contention, sinking long putts to save par as Clarke wilted on the greens.

Denied at the last, the Dutchman carded a 73 to finish two strokes above Italy's Francesco Molinari, who tied with Briton Robert Dinwiddie and Lin Wen-tang of Taiwan for third.

World number 13 Henrik Stenson of Sweden finished outright fourth a stroke behind on four under for a total of 284 after carding a final-round four-under 68.

Twice U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen finished equal seventh on 287 after a final-round 73.

Clarke, who helped Europe to an emotional victory at the 2006 Ryder Cup in Ireland weeks after his wife's death, said the win had re-set his sights on claiming a spot in the team again in September.

"If I qualify for the Ryder Cup team, fantastic. That is back within realistic goals now," he said.

(Editing by Rex Gowar and Padraic Halpin)