Clarke: Why no Irish winner of the national Open since 1982?

IN Ireland, we wonder annually why one of our own can’t win the national Open and bridge the gap since John O’Leary’s heroics at Portmarnock in 1982.

Now the debate is getting under way as to whether it will be just as long before a European captures the Open Championship.

Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke finished in style at Troon on Sunday with closing respective rounds of 67 and 68. Sadly it was no more than too little, too late as Paul Lawrie, the shock 1999 champion at Carnoustie, remains the last European winner of any major.