GOLF: Golf is a game that would test the patience of a saint. It can provide heavenly pleasure one minute, but inflict torment on the unfortunate soul holding a precious golf club the next.
Yesterday, at Valderrama, the golfing gods finally looked favourably on Ian Poulter - bestowing victory on the Englishman in the season-ending Volvo Masters where he defeated Sergio Garcia in a play-off. But, for Darren Clarke, there was to be no such redemption.
Having been mocked by a sextuple 11 on the 17th on Friday, which effectively ruined his aspirations of a first tournament win of a long season, Clarke could hardly escape the scene of his humbling quickly enough yesterday as he headed for the airport.
"You know, I'm just glad the year is over," said Clarke. "It's been horrendous. Why? Because I haven't won."
Indeed, for the first season since 1997, Clarke did not win an event on the European Tour, which came to a close yesterday, and his failure to do so hurt.
"My aim was to win, and I didn't. I've worked hard all year on all sorts of different things, getting fit and the like. But I've just played poorly all year and didn't manage to get it together," he said.
"It's been a very, very frustrating year. I've just about had it up to here . . . I've done all my work and practised really hard. It is so disappointing," said Clarke who, nevertheless, finished as leading Irishman - in tied 11th - at Valderrama.
So despondent was Clarke that he even remarked: "I hope four people pass me, then I won't have to go." This was a tongue-in-cheek reference to this week's Tour Championship in Atlanta, the finale to the US Tour, where Clarke will be competing as reward for finishing in the top-30 on the US Tour money list.
Clarke, who was 27th on the US Order of Merit before this week's Chrysler Championship, knew full well at the time of his comments that four players will not overtake him and that he will be playing in East Lake Country Club in Atlanta. He will be joined in that elite field by Padraig Harrington, who plans on taking up his US Tour membership next season, and Garcia, who failed at the death yesterday at the first hole of sudden-death with Poulter.
Ironically, like Clarke, Poulter - another member of Europe's winning Ryder Cup team at Oakland Hills in September - had managed to go through the entire season without savouring success.
Yesterday, somewhat belatedly in a season where Poulter has amassed nine top-10 finishes, he put that stark statistic to rest when his par four on the first play-off hole, the 18th, was sufficient to give him victory over Garcia, who played so-called "army golf" of the right-left variety.
On that play-off hole, Garcia firstly missed the fairway right off the tee and, then, pulled his recovery into rough on the left. Then, playing a knock-down shot in an attempt to scuttle the ball to the putting surface, he failed to reach the green with his approach.
When he finally managed to chip to two feet and hole out for a bogey five, it was not enough for the Spaniard who was forced to concede second best to Poulter who, having pulled his tee-shot, ran his approach up to the edge of the green and pitched to within 18 inches to secure his first win of the season.
The €625,000 cheque for first moved Poulter from 22nd up to ninth on the final Volvo Order of Merit, giving him season's winnings of €1,533,158. Now, he has put his sights on making a breakthrough in the majors.
"I don't think I am that far off (winning a major)," he said. "My swing is getting better and my confidence is definitely there. I feel very happy out there and play well under pressure . . . I think I can play well if I plan my season around the majors."
Harrington, meanwhile, finished third in the money list behind Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. The Dubliner won €45,600 yesterday to bring his season's winnings to €1,910,393 in Europe, while Graeme McDowell - who picked up €53,000 - finished in a career-high sixth place, with season's earnings of €1,648,862.
Clarke ended the year in seventh position, with earnings of €1,563,802. Paul McGinley finished up in 22nd position in the Order of Merit with €967,660.
