Betfair Official Blog

Darren Clarke taken at 85 on way to Asian Open win

Click here to view market

Darren Clarke won his first title in five years on Sunday at the BMW Asian Open and Adam Scott clinched the Byron Nelson in a play off with Ryan Moore. However, both seemed intent on doing it the hard way...

Clarke looked to have victory well and truly in his golf bag when main rival Robert-Jan Derksen chipped from one side of the green into the water on the 14th, and not long afterwards Clarke traded at [1.04] on Betfair.

But Clarke himself struggled on the same hole which he bogeyed, the Irishman had the same misfortune on the 16th and 17th to head down the last tied with Derksen at seven under, with the Irishman now trading as the [1.75] favourite.

A play-off looked heavy odds-on before Clarke holed a monster putt on the 18th to clinch his first win for five years.

Clarke traded at a high of [85.0] on Betfair to win the tournament.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, events took a strangely similar turn at the Byron Nelson Classic. This time it was Adam Scott who was grateful to see a sizeable putt holed. If anything, Scott's heavy breaking 48 footer made Clarke's effort look quite ordinary.

The Australian will have been mightily relieved to see the ball disappear. Having traded at a high of [22.0] in the tournament winner, a faltering final round saw him squander a three shot lead, and he needed a birdie at the last just to participate in the playoff against Ryan Moore.

Scott's opponent traded at a low of [1.07] (£7,398 matched at that price alone) just before that birdie and it took that wonder-putt to deny Moore his maiden Tour win.