1 in 206: Tim Clark Finally Wins on the PGA Tour

Years have passed since we first heard the name of Tim Clark, the (resist the urge to say "diminutive") South African that really was an also-ran with the likes of his fellow countrymen Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.  Clark was known for his marksmanship with his irons, but more or less forgotten because of his lack of distance and finnicky long putter. 

Seemingly on an perennial basis, Clark would finish in second or third on the PGA Tour.  After five or six such runner-up finishes, Clark became bearer of the title "best player not to have won on the PGA Tour." 

Going into this week holding eight such bridesmaid bouquets, Clark flew under the radar.  He had been playing terrible golf lately, admitting to putting the clubs away to stop thinking about the game for a while.  The expectations for the Players was low because of the status of his game and also his record at the Players.  The Stadium Course is brutal for someone like Clark, who is penalized greatly by the Florida rough and Sawgrass' length.  For Clark to make this tournament his maiden PGA Tour win, he would have to play practically perfect golf.

That was exactly what Clark did over the weekend.  He played the final twenty-six holes without a bogey.  The putter that has long held him back behaved, which allowed to Clark to have what he described as the best putting performance of his career.  Four birdies in a row from nine through twelve shot him to the lead that he would not relinquish.  He played 17 very calmly for par and held back the shakes as he made a testy eight footer similar to the putt that Adam Scott made to survive for his Players title in 2004. 

Finally, Tim Clark was a winner on the PGA Tour.  He joked that he would return to relative anonymity now that he was no longer the richest player on Tour without a win.

"A part of me is a bit disappointed because now no one is going to talk about me anymore," Clark said. "At least you had something to write about before. Now I'm just another guy with a win."

Don't worry, Tim.  There is still a universe of jokes left to poke fun of your height relative to your putter, your Players trophy, and the size of your bank account.  Of course, too, there is still the conversation of "best player without a major."  Clark could have been a fringe name in that conversation prior to winning the Players, but can now become a prominent bullet point on that list.  He's transitioning from one "best/without" list to another in a sense.  That will keep his name on the scribes' tongues - trust me.

Clark will also keep his name pertinent in the discussion of South African players.  Ernie Els has revived his career with wins in consecutive weeks on Tour.  Charl Schwartzel struck early in the European Tour season and made a name for himself stateside with his WGC performance against his hero, Els.  He lags behind both in global win count in 2010, but now he is one step closer to tying them.

His win is an example of what a change a few months can make.  Lambasted for laying up at the final hole of the Hope and losing the tournament to Bill Haas, he changed his mind down the stretch on Sunday at the Players.  He went for it from the fairway at the 16th.  Seemingly as though his subconscious fought him all the way, Clark chunked it just shy of the green.  Old habits are tough to change.

Clark acknowledges, just as he should, that the win, the five year Tour exemption, and $1.7 million is the biggest coup of his career.  For him to complete this comeback and get of the schnide, Clark had to play a flawless weekend.  His reward was equally perfect.