Darren Clarke has won the 2011 Open Championship at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent.

The 42-year-old from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, finished five under in his 20th attempt to lift the claret jug.

Clarke went in to the final round just one shot ahead of American Dustin Johnson to take a closing 70 in tough conditions. His 275 total put him three ahead of Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

A nervous first putt saw the Clarke save par from 18ft, but birdied the next from five feet. He then recovered from a bogey at the fourth with an eagle from 20ft on the par-five seventh.

A confident 30 in the front nine from Phil Mickelson challenged Clarke, but four dropped shots in the next six holes left him trailing behind.

Dustin Johnson then posed a threat with birdies at the 10th and 12th, but an out of bounds second shot on the par-five 14th left him with a double-bogey seven.

A by now comfortable Clarke could afford to bogey the last two holes to clinch victory.

He takes home the £900,000 prize, and has now moved in to the game's top 30.

OPEN IN DETAIL

• Day One round-up
• Day Two round-up
• Day Three round-up