Clarke beats awful eight

Darren Clarke assumed the putting position that is now second nature and, for the eighth time since he had hit off from the teebox some 578 yards back, struck the white ball with the green shamrock that he had so diligently painted between the maker's imprint. This time, it fell into the sixth green's tin cup - for a triple bogey eight!

There was a time when such a slap in the face so early in the round would have knocked him out cold. Yet it is a sign of the 30-year-old Irishman's growing maturity, and increased self-belief, that he took it on the chin. Despite that nightmare start, which had him five over par for the day after just seven holes, Clarke battled through the wind and eventually signed for a 75 for nine over par 151, the same mark as Padraig Harrington.

Of the initial five-strong Irish challenge, only Clarke and Harrington, who had a second round 74, survived the cut. Des Smyth claimed he had been "beaten up" by the course in finishing on 15-over-par 157, while Paul McGinley and amateur Paddy Gribben ended their respective championships on 160.

Clarke's round had to be admired, though. When Tom Watson arrived in Carnoustie back in 1975, the American claimed then that he "was learning how to play with the big boys". Clarke's response to his triple bogey eight at the sixth yesterday, allied to the manner in which he manufactured a tied-10th place finish in last month's US Open, suggests he too has discovered how to compete mentally at this level.

"I was proud with the way I reacted," admitted Clarke of his potential disaster. "It was a real hacker's eight."

In fact, it was a litany of errors. A two-iron tee-shot skipped two yards off the fairway into the right rough; the lie didn't look too bad, but was, and a five-iron recovery scooted across the fairway into more rough. Then, a four-iron approach kicked right into a stonefilled drain. He opted to use a sandwedge out, but only succeeded in getting the ball out into further rough. His fifth shot shot across the green into yet more rough. His next shot was a self-confessed "swipe" onto the green, and two putts later Clarke was able to walk off the green.

But Clarke completed the remaining 12 holes in an aggregate of level par, sinking an 18 footer at the last for his fourth birdie of the day. "To do that for the last 12 holes was pretty good. Who knows?" he mused. "If it is windy, wet and miserable for the weekend, and you manage to shoot under par, then its possible to make a huge move."

Harrington, too, played well - even if he was disappointed with his putting. "I was doubting myself on the greens," he said, "but tee-to-green, I was a lot better than the first round." The Dubliner took 34 putts, and affirmed that pin positions on the greens were tougher than the opening round.

However, Harrington had the satisfaction of birdieing the notoriously difficult 17th hole where his drive finished a mere three yards from the Barry Burn and he bravely sent his three-iron approach in to 30 feet. He holed the putt, but was disappointed to bogey the finishing hole after failing to find the green with his approach.

"I don't know if I can win from this position. I don't see myself shooting under par for the weekend, and I don't see nine over winning," said Harrington. "However, I will certainly be trying my hardest on every single shot."

Meanwhile, Smyth, who made his Open debut here 24 years ago, was hugely disappointed with his second round 82 for 157 which put him three shots outside the cut. "I feel like a guy who was beaten up. I feel they have destroyed a good golf course this week. Why did they have to fertilise the rough? If you get into it, you've no option but to hack out."

Gribben, too, was disappointed with his round which included a bogey, bogey start - and then a double bogey six on the fourth where he double-hit the ball coming out of rough. "I just couldn't pull it back after such a start. One of those days, I suppose but I enjoyed myself."