Clarke magic captures European Open

For almost two decades it has seemed as if all sorts of witches' curses, hexes and maledictions were placed on any Irish golfer attempting to win a PGA European Tour event on home soil.

Down by the banks of the Liffey yesterday, Darren Clarke not only managed to avoid such wicked spells but produced sufficient magic of his own to capture the Smurfit European Open at the K Club, Straffan, and claim the winner's cheque for £436,096.

In becoming the first Irish winner of a tour event on Irish soil since John O'Leary won the Irish Open at Portmarnock in 1982, Clarke, who has lost nearly two stone since starting a special protein-rich diet, claimed the win surpassed even that of last year when he defeated the world No 1, Tiger Woods, in the world matchplay final in California.

"This is the best win of my career. To win at home means an awful lot to me. I have won all around the world and I wasn't able to at home. I have managed to do it, and it feels great," said Clarke, who as a result of his win moved to No 1 on the European Ryder Cup qualifying table, ahead of fellow-Irishman Padraig Harrington, who finished in a three-way tie for second.

Clarke, who finished with a final round 66 for a 15-under-par 72-hole total of 273, received a specially crafted Waterford Crystal trophy, which master craftsman John Whelan took 135 hours to cut, for his win, while Denmark's Thomas Bjorn took home a trophy of a different kind.

He won a £100,000 seven-carat diamond from Dublin jewellers Appleby's in a special risk-and-reward competition for the players on the par-five holes.