Darren Clarke Is Still Chasing It

Darren Clarke has caught 19 permit on a fly—a feat arguably more impressive than winning The Open Championship. Sitting down with Tom Coyne in the Bahamas at his home in The Abaco Club, Clarke happily explains his dual obsessions. He’s not just a boisterous Irishman you’d like to meet at a pub, he remains driven by catching the world’s most difficult fish and beating the world’s best golfers. Clarke opens up about raising his boys after losing their mother and reflects on the miracle of bringing The Open to Royal Portrush following his upbringing during The Troubles. He also breaks down what went wrong at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage and offers a simple solution for Hazeltine. Along the way: the Theodore Roosevelt quote that’s driven him for 37 years, the difference between European sarcasm and American heckling, and the joys of living in paradise.