Clark takes big step at THE PLAYERS

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The irony wasn't lost on Robert Allenby.

After Tim Clark had posted his eighth runner-up finish at the Bob Hope Classic earlier this year, he and Allenby had a chat. The steady South African was lamenting yet another squandered opportunity to notch his first PGA TOUR win.

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CLARK'S BIG STEP: Tim Clark's trek toward his first PGA TOUR victory began with a coach's prediction and a small tweak the week before. Column TIM'S TIME: For once, the golf gods were on Tim Clark's side, writes Mike McAllister. Column TIGER'S WD: The world's No. 1 bowed out early on Sunday with a neck injury. Story | Scene ALLENBY'S MISS: Robert Allenby's putt to tie Tim Clark came up painfully short on No. 17. Story COMING UP SHORT: Lee Westwood, by his own admission, didn't play well enough to win, therefore he didn't deserve to. Story MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Phil Mickelson had a chance to take over the top spot in the rankings. It won't be his last opportunity. Story

"I said to him, 'Mate, you've just got to be patient, you've just got to keep putting yourself in there for a chance on the last day,'" Allenby recalled.

"Lo' and behold, he beat me."

Clark gave himself that chance when he fired a bogey-free 67 on a demanding Sunday afternoon at the TPC Sawgrass to beat Allenby by a stroke and win THE PLAYERS Championship. He's the third straight international champion and just the second first-time winner in the tournament's history.

Reminded of the conversation later, Clark admitted he'd probably had a similar talk with a "bunch" of players over the years. In Allenby, though, who had gone 223 starts without a win to Clark's 205, he'd found a kindred spirit.

"It's easy to sit on the outside and make judgments and comments as to why guys aren't winning," Clark said. "But we're out there. He's in the same position I am, and we're trying hard, and it doesn't work.

"And then we're out there trying to fix what's wrong and why we aren't winning. ... and he's dead right. You've just got to get out and continue to play, continue to try hard and hope that it happens.

"This may just be a big step for me."

Still, Clark had been so frustrated by his play of late that he actually put the clubs in the closet for the better part of two weeks before he came to Ponte Vedra where he and his wife Candace shared a beach house with Luke Donald and his family.

Clark did hit balls last Saturday, though, and played in a pro-am in Raleigh, N.C., on Monday to raise money for the golf program at his alma mater N.C. State. He had dinner at his good friend Carl Pettersson's house that night with their college coach Richard Sykes and TOUR rookie Garth Mulroy.

While he was talking with Sykes that night Clark mentioned the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial was next up for the South African after THE PLAYERS. They were both well-aware that he'd finished second there each of the last two years, even taking the lead into the final round in 2009 only to lose to Steve Stricker in a playoff.

"I said, 'Why don't you just go ahead and win the PLAYERS and get it over with,'" an excited Sykes recalled Sunday evening when reached by phone at his home. "The logo about jumped off my shirt about four times today.

"He played so good, and he'd had so many had things had happen at the end. It wasn't always his fault. ...He's certainly capable of playing any course, and he won on the one they call the most diabolical."

While he was hitting balls last Saturday, Clark had made a slight adjustment with his swing and putter that led to him be more upright. The confidence he gained was tantamount to his success on the Stadium Course where he ranked fifth in fairways hit, fourth in greens in regulation and 12th in putting.

"He told me he had raised his hands up an inch, and his swing felt good like it did in college," Sykes said. "His hands had gotten too low and this felt good because it took the pain out of his shoulder."

The father of one of his players told Sykes about Clark, who was 19 at the time and working in a pro shop in his native South Africa. Several weeks later Clark called Sykes, who offered him a scholarship for the spring semester where ended up making first-team All-America. Clark stayed at N.C. State 2 ½ years.

"It wasn't a great recruiting coup where I chased lions over there to get him," Sykes said with a chuckle. "I just answered the phone at the right time."

And Clark answered the call on Sunday. Doing his best Fred Funk imitation, he patiently plodded along and seized control with a stretch of five birdies in six holes -- including four straight -- as he made the turn, then ground out six pressure-packed pars to close the deal.

"It seemed like he was very confident," said Charley Hoffman, Clark's good friend and playing partner on Sunday. "He looked like he was out there playing on Tuesday -- didn't look like a Sunday PLAYERS Championship round for sure. He didn't miss a shot, and he played great."

Clark agreed with his friend's assessment.

"I think in the past I've maybe been thinking about winning way too much and putting too much pressure on it; whereas, today I just went out and tried to hit every shot as good as I could and didn't worry what other guys were doing and didn't really worry what I was scoring," he said.

Clark grew up idolizing South African players like Gary Player, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els, all multiple major champions. He'll candidly tell you he didn't consider himself in that league and that with Masters champ Trevor Immelman added to the equation, he's probably fifth in the pecking order back home.

Clark's strength is in precision, not prodigious length. He ranks third on TOUR in driving accuracy and second in putting, but 173rd in length. That fairways-and-greens game plays well in the majors, though, where he's had top-three finishes in three of the four -- so maybe an attitude adjustment is in need.

"I guess maybe it's a problem within me, but I think I didn't think I hit it far enough to be a top player on the TOUR,'" Clark said. "... "I've just got to go out there and play how I can play.

"Maybe this week will show me that I can set my standards a little bit higher and from here on maybe try and achieve a little bit more."