GOLF - Winner Clarke aims to hone harder edge across Tasman

Top Northland golfer Dale Clarke figures he needs to develop an extra level of mental toughness as he prepares to join the sports professional ranks.
Clarke won his final junior tournament, the Sherwood Park under-23 Classic, at his home course yesterday, but was far from happy with the way he did it. He opened with an immaculate four-under 66 on Wednesday, but carded a 76 in the second round, before finishing with a 73.
The second-round loss of form didn't matter too much as Clarke won by eight shots from Wellsford's Brad Bonnington, but he's aware he let the Bream Bay Classic slip away in much the same way on Sunday.
"I shot a good first round that set me up for the tournament, but in the second round, I had a bit of a mental lapse and that happened here too (at Sherwood Park) in the second round, its a definite trend emerging in my game but I'm working on it," he said.
Despite the shocking weather on Saturday, Clarke carded a 69 in his first round at Waipu and continued on to be two-under when play was called off for the day. The weather on Sunday was a lot better, but he still slipped two shots behind Aucklander Ben Wallace to finish second in a strong field.
Clarke puts that sort of lapse down to inexperience.
"If you have a lot of experience at playing in the top events then mental discipline follows. Keeping your concentration is one of the hardest parts of golf, as much as I try it's still difficult."
Clarke had aimed to return to the United States to take up a golfing scholarship at the Louisiana State University, but will instead leave the country today, to relocate to Melbourne where he will try to qualify for the Australian pro tour in November.
"There were a number of pros and cons with me going to the States, but in the end the scholarship fell through, but in a way that's opened up another opportunity for me. Melbourne's a good place to start, anyway, and I've already got a place to stay, all I need to do now is find a part-time job and play some golf."
Clarke hopes to develop the mental toughness he needs playing in the ultra competitive Australian environment.
"It's going to be pretty hard but I'm throwing myself in the deep end, but you don't know if you're good enough until you've tried it. It's a tough school but I may as well give it a go."
Kerikeri's Phoebe Perrin won the women's gross tournament at Sherwood Park yesterday, beating North Harbour's Rica Pui-Man Tse by four shots, thanks to a one-under 69 in her final round.