Eyes brimming and clearly overwhelmed by emotion, the face of Northern Ireland golfer Darren Clarke said it all as he helped his team to victory in the Ryder Cup.
It was a poignant moment for the 38-year-old Ulsterman, whose wife Heather passed away last month. It had been her dying wish that Darren take part in the event.
As the tears flowed there was a warm hug of understanding from fellow player Tiger Woods, whose father Earl died in May.
The American star, who nine weeks earlier had been similarly overcome by emotion after triumphing at his first major Open since his father's demise, had encouraged his friend to come out of mourning in phone calls and text messages prior to the tournament.
When Heather died on August 13, after a five-year struggle with breast cancer, Darren withdrew from his beloved sport to grieve and care for the couple's sons Tyrone, eight, and five-year-old Conor. "There was a time when I didn't think I would be able to play," the golfer told the BBC.
"It was a pretty tough decision to make myself available for the Ryder Cup," he explained, and admitted he'd spent the day trying to keep his emotions in check. "I know Heather would have wanted me to play," he added. "The 16th green (where he won his final match) was hugely emotional for me – Heather's up there looking down on us."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
