bwin Sportsblog - Golf - It is a mind game of the first order

All individual sports have very strong elements with the psychological side simply because you have no one else to depend on. If something goes wrong then it is your fault and no one else’s. Darren Clarke had been having consultations with psychologist Bob Rotella and this clearly had a huge impact as he ended up winning the Open quite comfortably. His £900k winner’s cheque was matched by a further £2 million from his sponsor Dunlop and so Clarke is a whopping £2.9 million richer this morning. But he is one of the most popular winners in recent history but I had a feeling that he had the mental strength to hold out. The way that he was laughing and joking around the course seemed to calm him down but it also looked manufactured to me as well as if he had been instructed to do it by Rotella. The way that he was chatting with Lucas Glover all the way around the course on round three and then Dustin Johnson during the final round didn’t look like someone on the brink of winning their first major title at the age of 42. But as a full time poker player then I am all too aware of the psychological side of the game as all individual sports and games have to be deeply psychological at their highest level. I was very pleased for Darren Clarke but there were clear changes in his psyche as he was going around the course. I wouldn’t be surprised now if Clarke despite his age didn’t go on to win another couple of majors.