Darren Clarke Wins PGA Tour Champions Event in Boca Raton

The TimberTech Championship, in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, returned to The Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Raton from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1, 2020. The annual PGA Tour Champions event has been contested in Palm Beach County since 2007, producing winners such as major champions Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin, Mark Calcavecchia, and now, Darren Clarke. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the event took place with no spectators and enhanced safety protocols. During the 54-hole tournament, Palm Beach County was highlighted on the Golf Channel’s worldwide broadcast.

Clarke scored a 4-under 68 on Sunday to finish at 17-under 199, narrowly defeating defending champion Langer (67) and Jim Furyk (68). The win is Clarke’s first PGA Tour Champions title and his first professional win since beating Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson by three strokes at the 2011 Open Championship. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities the last few years, so it’s great to finally win one,” Clarke said after the event. “I wouldn’t be working this hard if I didn’t think I could still win.”

The TimberTech Championship, formerly the Boca Raton Championship, is a staple of Palm Beach County’s vast golf event portfolio which includes Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, The Honda Classic (PGA Tour), and numerous elite amateur tournaments. Since its inception, the TimberTech Championship has created a positive impact, both philanthropically and economically, for Palm Beach County. The tournament has generated over $2 million for local charities through its foundation, with the Boca Raton Regional Hospital serving as the primary charitable beneficiary. Additionally, in 2019, the tournament created over $1 million in economic impact for Palm Beach County. “This tournament has been a player favorite for over 13 years, as the community has enabled the event to create a tremendous impact on and off the course,” said PGA TOUR Champions President Miller Brady.

At the beginning of the season, the TimberTech Championship was set to make its debut as one of three events in the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, used annually to decide the Tour’s season-long champion. Following the onset of COVID-19 and event cancelations stemming from the global pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 seasons were combined to form a singular 2020-21 season, in turn reverting the three events to full-field, 81-player tournaments. Due to COVID-19, the event was held without spectators in attendance and will follow enhanced safety protocols.