Northern Ireland golf star Darren Clarke has given girlfriend, former Miss NI Alison Campbell the best Christmas present of all — an engagement ring.

The 42-year-old Ryder Cup legend popped the question to the stunning model agency boss last night.

The couple first started dating last year, with the jet-setting sportsman fuelling speculation he was thinking of settling down with his new love when he made a permanent move back to Northern Ireland earlier this year. After a decade in London, he set up home on the north coast and enrolled his two young sons, Tyrone and Conor, in a local school.

For the Dungannon man, the proposal marks a happy new chapter in his life following the tragic loss to breast cancer of his first wife, Heather, who died in 2006.

After the death of his wife, Mr Clarke was hailed a hero when he famously soldiered on to help take Europe to victory over the US in the 2006 Ryder Cup.

Alison also has two grown-up sons from her first marriage. Fellow Ulster golf star, Graeme McDowell brought the pair |together by organising a |blind date.

In an interview earlier this year, Darren revealed: “I had no idea who Alison was whatsoever, absolutely no idea.

“I lived in London, so I had no idea.

“We met, we talked before we went out and had |dinner and stuff — we got on like the proverbial house |on fire.”