North Carolina State University Athletics
Clark Wins Mandela Invitational, Donates Check To Hearing Impaired Girl
11/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Nov. 28, 2005
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (www.sunshinetour.com) - Tim Clark's victory at the Nelson Mandela Invitational presented by Coca-Cola and hosted by Gary Player has given a little girl a chance of a better life.
Clark only knows her as Siobhan and she is a pupil at the Carel du Toit School for the hearing impaired in Cape Town. As a result of shooting 64 to lead he and Vincent Tshabalala to victory on 17-under at the 36-hole event, young Siobhan will have a chance to a better life thanks to the R125,000 winner's cheque that Clark donated to her.
"This tournament is a lot of fun but it's about giving back. I had the chance to go to the Carel du Toit School for the Deaf in Cape Town and I think we were all moved by what we saw.
"There were young kids, three-years old, who are only just learning to talk and only have a couple of words in them and that just reinforced to me why we are here.
"To see the teachers at the school giving of their time, which is probably more important than just giving money, and how much they love and care for these kids gives us all a new perspective on things.
"Apparently it costs R150,000 for the cochlear implant she needs and certainly if I win I would like all my money to go to helping her," Clark said on Saturday. "She has been my inspiration for the weekend so I hope we can pull it off." And boy did he.
After starting birdie, birdie Clark cranked up the heat with six birdies on the back nine for an inward loop of 30 shots to make sure that the threat of the Gary Player/Trevor Immelman partnership had no chance of closing the two-stroke first round lead that he and Tshabalala enjoyed.
"I think it kind of took the pressure off me because standing over some of those putts I just thought of the kids at the school and it seemed to make the putts less meaningful," Clark said.
"This means a lot to me because I'd played here four times before and never managed to win so this was great. It really means a lot."
"I don't have my own foundation yet, which is something that takes a lot of time and organisation and I don't have the infrastructure in place for something like that yet," Clark said.
"But perhaps later in my career when I'm more established hopefully I will be able to establish one. Everyday I feel lucky because I'm able to do what I do and to be in the position I am.
"I've had a lot of good breaks in my career and good things happening to me at the right time. You go and see these kids and right now at their young age they've had nothing but bad things happen. Yet they are filled with joy and to see that is amazing.
"They put on a concert and had a great time and then we went out into the little schoolyard afterwards and they seemed so happy. Here they are born with a really big handicap but they are still happy. It's hard for a golfer to ever complain about the life we have. One bad hole or one bad putt really doesn't mean much at the end of the day."
Clark hopes to give winnings to handicapped girl
Clark brings a smile to a child with victory at NMI
