Clarke's victory gives older players hope they can still win, says Bjorn

Thomas Bjorn believes Darren Clarke's British Open victory has given renewed hope to the 40somethings in the game who have already been written off.

Clarke, 42, became the oldest winner of the Claret Jug since 1967 with his three-shot victory at Royal St George's to secure his first major. The Northern Irishman won the Open on his 20th attempt, his win coming just a month after compatriot Rory McIlroy became the youngest U.S. Open winner since 1933.

Only a couple of weeks ago, former Ryder Cup captain and eight-time European Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie had suggested that players who had not won a major by the time they reached 40 had an increasingly diminishing chance of doing so. However, Bjorn believes Clarke had proved to all the veterans on the circuit that anything is possible.

"I think the leaderboard has shown this week there is no substitute for experience," said the 40-year-old Bjorn. "You have to keep believing that whatever age you get to there is always a chance. The only thing that can hold you back is when the body gives up."

Bjorn struck an early blow for the over-40s with an opening round of 65 that gave him a share of the lead with 20-year-old amateur Tom Lewis. But while the youngster faded over the next three days eventually finishing tied for 30th, Bjorn stuck in there until the end.

Scores of 72 and 71 on Friday and Saturday dented his challenge, but he still began the last day just three shots behind Clarke, eventually finishing four shots adrift of the Northern Irishman in fourth place.

"For anyone to win their first major championship it is a great thing, but for Darren he has dreamt of this all his life and it is brilliant to see and so well deserved," added Bjorn, who was a late entry into the event after Vijay Singh's withdrawal. "I played well and did most things right and I am delighted with the week as a whole because it gives me a confidence boost going forward.

"I love this tournament, I absolutely think it is the best in the world to play and every time you get a chance to get into it you get an extra kick,” he added. "I enjoyed every minute of it and that gives me a lot of positive things going forward. You want to go better but that was not to be and any time you finish top 10 in a major, you have done well."

Bjorn insisted he viewed the week as a positive in terms of his future, rather than an exercise in exorcising his demons at Royal St. George’s.

"People want to me say I have put a lot of things behind me after the week, but I don't live in the past," he said. "I didn't think about what happened eight years, ago, I thought about the week and what was ahead of me and I will keep doing that.

"I strongly believe that is the way to play the game, if you live in the past you have no chance."