Tim

Clark

The 43-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Dec. 17th, has been inactive for so long that he’s no longer even in the Official World Golf Ranking. His last start was a missed cut at the 2015-16 CareerBuilder 152 weeks ago. The NC State product, who lives in Scottsdale, owns 54 career top 10s in 309 events, including 13 runners-up, and his most recent (of two) TOUR titles, the 2014 RBC Canadian Open. While that win is now 230 weeks old, it came just 26 starts ago. The South African was originally slated to play last season on a Major Medical Extension, which dates back to an elbow injury in 2015, but opted instead for a Top 50 Career Money Exemption. Of course, he didn’t play at all and there’s no new news out there regarding when he might return to action.

Ken Green is also out and they are replaced in the lineup by Neil Lancaster and Darren Stiles. If you took Clark this week you need to find a replacement quickly.

Clark has had a dreadful go of it in 2012 with no cuts made. He still looks like he’s rusty from the elbow surgery and hasn’t made a cut since the 2011 Sony Open.

It’s been 15 months and seven starts since the diminutive South African last logged a payday on the PGA TOUR (2011 Sony Open). Of course, he also had surgery on his right elbow during that time frame. Clark has kept his ball in play at Harbour Town thus far, splitting 21 (of 28) fairways and hitting 23 greens in regulation. He circled an eagle-3 at the second hole from 10'7" today, but his longest conversion measured 24'9" for birdie at the first.

Clark shot 7-over-par 43-36=79 with two birdies, three bogeys and three doubles. It’s his fifth round since returning from elbow surgery in which he’s failed to break 75.

The South African has had a rough go of it since having to deal with an elbow injury. A T37 at the Heritage represents his only payday of 2012. Despite the struggles, one thing he hasn’t lost is his ability to find the fairway. He ranks fourth in driving accuracy.

The South African came off of an elbow injury to miss the cut at the Northern Trust Open in February and took a little more time off to prepare for this week’s tournament. He last played in this event in 2009 when he missed the cut, so there aren’t many signals pointing to a big week for Clark this week.

It’s rare if not unprecedented that in this day and age that the absence of information on an injured world-class golfer would stretch at least four and a half months, yet that’s precisely what has occurred with Clark. He was scheduled to rest for at least three months following surgery, but he doesn’t maintain a website or blog and none of the reliable sites in the U.S. or South Africa has reported on his recovery or timeline to return to competition. He was an assistant captain for the Internationals at the Presidents Cup but wasn’t asked about his health, nor did he broach the matter himself publicly. The 2010 PLAYERS champion is eligible for the first three majors of 2012 and would set up as a sleek own if healthy. As always, we will relay any information as it becomes available.

Havenga tweeted the following: “Tim Clark is back playing & practicing following elbow surgery last Aug. Entered Northern Trust Open.” This fulfills Clark’s intention to return on the West Coast. He was hopeful in early November for this timing. Expect a rusty start but Riviera won’t overwhelm him either. He has three top 15s in six appearances at the venerable venue. Time to pounce on the South African if he’s a free agent in your format.

The field was released within the last hour. This fulfills golf writer Barry Havenga’s report on Monday that Clark would, indeed, commit to the NTO. If he plays, it will be his first competition action in nine months. He underwent surgery on his right elbow on Aug. 10 and later served as an assistant captain for the Internationals in the Presidents Cup.