Tim Clark Turns Tables - Wins Players Championship

A few months ago Tim Clark was roundly castigated, by golf scribblers and message-board minions, when an ill-fated lay up went awry.

It was the par-5 finishing hole at the Bob Hope Classic. Clark had just birdied three of four holes ... including a clutch birdie at the par-3 17th... and found himself in a tie for the lead. Instead of going for the green on his second shot however, he cautiously chose to lay up. The problem came when he missed the eight foot birdie putt needed to force a playoff with Bill Haas, and finished as runner up... for the eighth time in his PGA career.

That's when Mr. Clark was described as "gutless" and "spineless". He was called a "bridesmaid extraordinaire"... and the "lay-up-heard-around-the-golf-blogosphere"? It was labeled the "The Wimpiest Move of All Time".

The 34 year old South African probably didn't lose any sleep over the journalistic reproach, but today, upon lifting the crystal trophy of the Player's Championship, he admitted he was pleased to finally put the Best Without a PGA Tour Win title behind him.

What Mr. Clark probably won't be able to shake however, are the incessant references to his height. I touched on that during the Presidents Cup last November when "Tim-Clark's-height-and-various-ways-to-describe-it" threatened to overshadow his brilliance on the golf course. ~ Well, reading the coverage of Mr. Clark's Players Victory I've encountered, "The Diminutive South African", "Little Tim Clark", "The Little Man", "Tiny Tim Clark" and myriad variations of such... in almost every article I've read. I don't know how tall the writers are or how men generally feel about being called diminutive or little or tiny, but again, I'd guess that Tim Clark probably isn't losing sleep over it. And his win today just reinforces the fact that in golf.. as in life... height is way over-rated.

On a final note, the most coveted aparel item in golf these days might just be the "Tim Clark Posse" shirt. I only person I know who has one is the ultra-awesome Reluctant Jam Boy. I'm sure he's wearing it proudly today.