Murphy's Irish Open: Clarke makes blistering start
Darren Clarke stepped up a gear to charge through the field in the third round of the Murphy's Irish Open in Cork.
Clarke finished the right side of the cut thanks to a birdie on the last hole on Friday, and he was among the early starters today as he turned in a flawless 33 at Fota Island.
When he birdied the long 10th as well the Ulsterman, never higher than 15th in an event which no Irish player has won since John O'Leary in 1982, was up to four under par and up to 16th place.
He was still, however, six strokes adrift of overnight leader Colin Montgomerie, who in his bid for a third Irish victory was two ahead of Londoner Anthony Wall and three clear of Thomas Bjorn, Barry Lane, Fredrik Henge and Thomas Levet, winner of the British Masters four weeks ago.
Ian Woosnam remained level par after 11 holes, having also birdied the final hole in the second round to scrape through.
