Clark has had big moments on TOUR, still wants a win

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One of Tim Clark's more famous moments on TOUR was when he holed out for birdie on the 72nd hole at the '06 Masters to finish second to Phil Mickelson.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. -- Tim Clark is used to getting his proverbial 15 minutes of fame -- about once a year.

After he holed out from a greenside bunker at the 72nd hole to finish runner-up in the 2006 Masters, behind winner Phil Mickelson, the South African noticed that he got noticed a little more often when he was outside the ropes.

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"Whenever you have a good tournament, it usually lasts about a week," Clark said of the extra attention. "Then it's back to normal."

So Clark wasn't shocked when he overheard a fan in the gallery at last week's World Golf Championships-CA Championship at Doral point to him and say, "That's the guy who beat Tiger in the Match Play."

Clark didn't think much of it. Such is what happens when your path crosses with the world's most recognized athlete. But what Clark said surprised him was the reaction he got from the other players on the PGA TOUR.

"The biggest difference is all the TOUR players," Clark said Monday. "They all kept telling me, 'Well played.' It was almost like winning a tournament -- just for beating one guy in the second round."

Well, for Clark it may seem like almost winning a tournament because that's the one thing lacking from his U.S. resume. He has seven worldwide victories, the last coming at last year's Australian Open. But he has yet to win in his eighth full season on the PGA TOUR.

Clark has come close -- he has six second-place finishes in 178 career starts -- but has yet to light up that victory cigar. Asked what he thinks has held him back from winning, Clark's response was as accurate as his wedge shots.

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Tim Clark's latest "who's that guy?" moment came at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, where he took down Tiger Woods in Round 2.

"Other guys playing better than me," he said.

Case in point: Clark fired a final-round 66 at last year's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and appeared headed for a playoff with Rod Pampling when Mickelson, who also was tied for the lead, flared his drive at the final hole into the trees. But Mickelson somehow found an opening through the limbs and threaded his approach to 10 feet, making the putt to send Clark home with a share of second place.

"I've had quite a few tournaments where I've just been beaten at the end, and there have been times when I was in position and just didn't get the job done," said Clark, who is 21st in FedExCup points and 35th in the latest Official World Golf Ranking. "Sometimes you need a few lucky breaks."

That breakthrough win could happen in this week's Transitions Championship at Innisbrook. When he finished 27th Sunday at the CA Championship, it marked Clark's first finish outside the top 25 in six starts this year on the PGA TOUR.

Until he does lift a trophy in the U.S., Clark carries this distinction: He has earned the most money on the PGA TOUR ($12.3 million, 66th all-time) without winning an event. Briny Baird is second at $9.9 million and Brett Quigley, fresh off his second-place tie Sunday at the Puerto Rico Open, is third at $9.5 million.

Being the guy who's made the most without a "W" can be viewed in many ways. Clark chooses to take the positive approach.

"I think it shows I've played pretty consistent the last few years," he said. "My ratio of top 10s and top 25s is probably well ahead of the other guys."

Sure enough, Clark has more career top 10s (33) and top 25s (79) in 100 less starts than Baird (24, 73) and has virtually matched Quigley's numbers (31, 79) despite playing in almost half as many tournaments.

Clark said he compares himself to England's Luke Donald, who has 33 top 10s and 78 top 25s in 163 career TOUR starts. The big difference, of course is Donald has won twice on the PGA TOUR.

"I'm out here trying to win," Clark said. "I'm not trying to finish 10th just to make another good check."

Not surprisingly, Clark considers his two South African victories to be his greatest accomplishments, and not just because they occurred in his homeland. Though he doesn't dismiss his win over Woods at the Accenture Match Play as easily as it will fade away from most fans' memories.

"In terms of a tournament finish, it wasn't a big deal," said Clark,who was credited with a ninth-place tie after he lost his third-round match to Rory McIlroy. "But to play well under the pressure of facing Woods in his first tournament back, that means a lot to me. That's something that will stay with me for a while."

Perhaps longer than 15 minutes.

Craig Dolch is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.