PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Darren Clarke knew the feeling on the first tee was going to be different than anything he had experienced before. He just didn’t know how dramatically different.
It was 6:35 in the morning Thursday, and Clarke, a native of Northern Ireland who makes his home in Portrush, had been selected by the Royal & Ancient to strike the first ball of the 148th British Open on the links of Royal Portrush.
“It was more emotional than I thought it was going to be, to be honest,” Clarke said after shooting an even-par 71. “I was very proud to be standing on that first tee hitting the first shot.”
This is the 28th Open Clarke has played in. He’s 50 years old, hasn’t won a tournament since his 2011 British Open victory at Royal St. Georges and he’s playing on the Champions Tour now. So Clarke has reached the stage at which he is a ceremonial player in British Opens.
Clarke, playing alongside Charley Hoffman and Irish amateur James Sugrue, birdied the first two holes to get out to a dream start.
“I didn’t think I’d feel the way I did,” Clarke said. “But the support, everything from the crowds, just everything about it sort of when I was about to hit my tee shot: ‘Wow, it’s the Open Championship, we’re back in Portrush.’ It was amazing.”
Clarke, who along with fellow Irish golfers Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington was an integral force in bringing the Open back to Portrush for the first time in 68 years, walked up the 18th fairway toward the massive grandstands that surround the green to thunderous cheers.
He compared the moment to his walk up 18 in the final round of his 2011 Open victory.
“This was a good one, walking up the 18th green there when everyone was roaring,” he said. “Last time I did that was 2011 on the 72nd hole. It was fabulous.”
Sugrue, playing in his first Open, said he was blown away by the atmosphere after shooting even par.
“I’ve never heard roars like that on a golf course before,” Sugrue said. “From the first tee to the 18th, it was just incredible. I was definitely the most nervous I’ve ever been on a golf course when I looked up at the grandstand and it was just packed. And Darren walked in front of me and the roar was just unbelievable.”
Clarke said he set his alarm for 3:15 a.m. “just looking forward’’ to that moment on the first tee.
“It wasn’t one of those where I was looking forward to it with trepidation; I was looking forward to it to enjoy it,” he said. “I had two glasses of wine (Wednesday) night, but nothing else. I was very sensible. I didn’t think this was a good tee time to miss.”
