Clarke makes startling recovery
Darren Clarke, so gloomy on the eve of the Quinn British Masters that he nearly quit and headed home from The Belfry, turned it around in stunning fashion today to lead the event.
The Ulsterman, his main focus understandably elsewhere with his wife Heather battling cancer, had described his pro-am round as “terrible” and added: “I don’t think I’ve got much chance of making the cut.
“The only real reason I’m here is because Chubby (his manager Andrew Chandler) is running the tournament.”
After producing an eagle and six birdies for a six-under-par 66 this morning Clarke admitted: “I was very close to pulling out, but I talked myself into staying.
“It would not have been the right thing to do. It would have been very unprofessional.”
After one practice session with coach Pete Cowen Clarke had a rest, then returned in the evening for another and managed to ease his frustration.
That did not prevent him kicking off with a three-putt bogey – “pulling out entered my head again then,” he said – but he came back with four birdies in the next seven holes.
Then, after dropping another shot on the difficult 18th, he birdied the second, eagled the 538-yard third and closed with another birdie.
It put him one ahead of his 2004 Ryder Cup team-mate Paul Casey, winner of the title the last time the European tour visited The Belfry three years ago.
Casey is currently in the 10th and last automatic spot in the race for places for this year’s team, but Clarke is down in 31st position and it would delight captain Ian Woosnam if the two of them continued as they had started.
The Surrey golfer kept a bogey off his card on his return to the course where he captured the Benson and Hedges International.
“I love it here,” he said. “I think I have a good plan on how to play it: lots of three-woods, very strategic.
“That was tidy round of golf and I’m very happy with that. It was just what I wanted. This place has good memories for me and hopefully it will continue through the week.”
Clarke was playing with David Howell and neither of the two stars had any expectations of success this week.
While the Ulsterman has not played since pulling out of the Houston Open three weeks ago to return to his wife’s side – he was only two off the lead at the time – Howell has been out of action for a month with back trouble.
Order of Merit leader Howell also showed his class, though, with a two-under-par 70, two better than Colin Montgomerie and five better than Paul McGinley.
Back on the course where he was Europe’s match-winning hero four years ago, McGinley was one under after seven, but bogeyed the 17th and 18th and then double-bogeyed the first.
Clarke’s eagle at the third came when he struck a five wood to 15 feet.
Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and defending champion Thomas Bjorn were among the later starters.
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