Golf-Clarke wins British Open at 42

SANDWICH, England, July 17 (Reuters) - Darren Clarke finally secured his first major championship title when he kept his nerve in testing conditions to win the British Open at Royal St George’s by three shots on Sunday.

The 42-year-old, playing in his 20th Open but without a top-10 finish in majors for 10 years, began the day on five under-par, a shot ahead of American Dustin Johnson, and played superbly throughout despite strong winds and occasional downpours.

He could even afford to bogey the last two holes to end on five under.

Phil Mickelson launched a spirited challenge for his first British Open title with a scorching five-under par front nine to briefly join Clarke at the top of the leaderboard but, after Clarke eagled the seventh to go clear again, the American fell away and finished tied second with Johnson on two-under par.

Clarke becomes the third Northern Irishman to win a major in 14 months following the back-to-back U.S. Open victories of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, the first UK winner of the British Open since Paul Lawrie in 1999 and the 12th different winner of the last 12 major championships.