WISE GUYS

When three elite squads of senior-tour sticks square up at the second Skechers World Champions Cup, they'll bring with them decades of accumulated wisdom, triumphs, memories, competitive fire— and at least one smoldering cigar.

- BY NICK PIASTOWSKI PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREW URBAN

The Skechers World Champions Cup has, as its name suggests, world champions. Stewart Cink, Darren Clarke, Bernhard Langer, Mike Weir—all are among the major winners who'll compete December 4 through 7 at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater, Fla. There, in the second playing of this Ryder Cup-like event, they’ll join one of three six-man teams made up of pros from the 50-and-over PGA Tour Champions circuit. The squads—captained by Clarke (Team Europe), Weir (Team International) and Jim Furyk (Team U.S.A.)—will play six-ball, Scotch sixsomes (a modified alternate-shot format) and singles matches to determine a winner. But those are just the basics. In anticipation of the event, which ESPN and ABC will air, we tapped a bunch of these seen-it-all veterans for their swing tips, life pointers and most unforgettable career moments. I mean, who better to learn from than some wily, well-traveled pros?

TEAM EUROPE

Darren Clarke, 57 (CAPTAIN)

HOME COUNTRY: NORTHERN IRELAND

PGA TOUR WINS: 3

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS WINS: 5

EUROPEAN TOUR WINS: 14

What is the best swing tip you've ever heard?

Oh, absolutely no idea. Zero. That’s too difficult of a question.

What's the worst one?

Keep your head down. Watch any pro—we don't keep our head down all the time. Amateurs keep their head down, and then they get stuck.

What's the best life tip you've ever heard?

Enjoy it while you can because you never know what's around the corner.

Who's a golfer who should have gotten more love but never did?

You know, you take a look at Lee Westwood. I mean, unbelievable golfer. Things went against him a couple of times in majors—he got a lot, but he deserved more.

What's one moment in your playing career that you'll never forget?

First tee, Ryder Cup 2006 at the K Club.