Monty talks up 'exceptional' Clarke
Colin Montgomerie lavished praise on Darren Clarke’s “phenomenal” putting today as the Ulsterman moved into the thick of things in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.
Montgomerie, marking Clarke’s card, reckoned there were just 22 putts in a 65 for a 10-under-par halfway total of 132. He was alongside Scot Alastair Forsyth, who had nine birdies himself in a 64, but one behind Dutchman Maarten Lafeber.
“If Darren keeps putting the way he did today this tournament is his and he will do very well next week,” said Montgomerie, round in 69 and not out of the hunt for a second win in the event at five under.
“It was exceptional – phenomenal.”
Clarke, who was fourth in the European Open last week on his return from a month off helping his wife Heather in her battle with cancer, has his American putting coach Stan Utley with him this week.
“It had gone off somewhat because I didn’t have much time to work on it,” he said.
The round also contained a dreaded shank with a seven-iron, though, and while happy to be in the position he was Clarke also felt the need to spend “a few hours” on the driving range during the afternoon.
Forsyth had five successive birdies around the turn as he put himself in position to go for what would be the biggest win of his career.
South African Richard Sterne stood nine under after a 68, while Mansfield’s Greg Owen, who holed an eight-iron for an eagle two on the second, was one further back. But Phil Mickelson was back on two under following a disappointing 72 in the perfect conditions.
“It was a day to go low and I just didn’t do it,” said the American. But at least he looked set to improve on last year, when he missed the cut.
American Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman turned last weekend’s bad display into a distant memory today as he moved into contention at nine under – but he then double-bogeyed the last.
In the European Open – on the K Club course where next year’s match against Europe takes place – Lehman received a two-stroke penalty for being late on the tee on Saturday, then shots rounds of 79 and 84.
“My game is in a real state of disarray,” said the former Open champion.
“I can’t ever remember playing so badly. It was unbelievable – everything I could do wrong I did.”
Lafeber took over at the top from England’s Stuart Little and Argentina’s Angel Cabrera, who were among the later starters on a day when players were wearing black ribbons as a mark of respect to the dead and injured in the London bombings.
Paul Lawrie, six under overnight, double-bogeyed and bogeyed his first two holes, but came back with an eagle at the 13th and then climbed to seven under before running up a double-bogey seven on the sixth.
