CLARKE AND McILROY WIN LAUREUS AWARDS FOR 2011 FEATS

                        DARREN CLARKE ... WINNER OF COMEBACK OF THE YEAR TROPHY

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy have both added a Laureus Award to the Major titles they won last year.
The two European Tour members were honoured at the Laureus World Sports Awards in London where McIlroy was voted the 'Breakthrough of the Year' Award winner and Clarke won the 'Comeback of the Year' title.
Tennis ace Novak Djokovic beat a stellar group in winning the 'World Sportsman of the Year' Award and Kenya's 5,000 and 10,000 metre world champion Vivian Cheruiyot edged out golf's dynamic Yani Tseng to claim the 'World Sportswoman of the Year' Award.
McIlroy, 22, claimed his award after capturing his first Major title with a dazzling eight-shot victory in the US Open Championship at Congressional. He was the youngest winner of the US Open since Bobby Jones in 1923.
His 43 year old compatriot, Clarke, won the comeback award after his fairy tale victory in The Open Championship at Royal St George's - also his first Major title.
Clarke received his award from Laureus Academy member Gary Player during the ceremony at Central Hall, Westminster while McIlroy was unable to attend in person as he prepared for this week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The recognition follows on from the successes last year in Abu Dhabi when Martin Kaymer collected the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award and the victorious European Ryder Cup team captured the Laureus Spirit of Sport Award.
Among the other award winners were double amputee Oscar Pistorius, who won the disability award. The South African 400-meter specialist known as 'The Blade Runner' won a silver medal in the relay at the able-bodied World Athletic Championships last year in South Korea, and had also been nominated for the 'Breakthrough' category won by McIlroy.
English football great Bobby Charlton was given the lifetime achievement award 54 years to the day after surviving the Munich air disaster that killed eight team-mates of his Manchester United team.
The 74 year old Charlton was unable to personally receive the award. Laureus officials said he fell ill on Sunday and returned to Manchester on Monday for unspecified minor surgery.
United manager Alex Ferguson accepted the award on Charlton's behalf. He said Charlton was fine but "very annoyed" at not being able to attend the ceremony.
The winners were chosen by the 47 world renowned sports stars who make up the Laureus sports academy.

ALL THE WINNERS AND NOMINEES:
(Winners names in bold type):

World Sportsman of the Year:
Novak Djokovic - Usain Bolt, Lionel Messi, Dirk Nowitzki, Sebastian Vettel, Cadel Evans

World Sportswoman of the Year:
Vivian Cheruiyot - Maria Höfl-Riesch, Carmelita Jeter, Petra Kvitova, Homare Sawa, Yani Tseng

World Sports Team of the Year
FC Barcelona - All Blacks, Dallas Mavericks, England Cricket Team, Japan Women's Football Team, Red Bull F1 team

World Breakthrough of the Year:
Rory McIlroy - Yohan Blake, Petra Kvitova, Li Na, Oscar Pistorius, Mo Farah

World Comeback of the Year:
Darren Clarke - Eric Abidal, Crusaders, Sergio Garcia, Liu Xiang, Queensland Reds

World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability:
Oscar Pistorius - Daniel Dias, Terezinha Guilhermina, , Esther Vergeer, David Weir, Irek Zaripov

World Action Sportsperson of the Year:
Kelly Slater - Jamie Bestwick, Philip Köster, Carissa Moore, Travis Rice, Shaun White