American Express World Championship: Darren Clarke was in ebullient mood as he prepared to go to the practice tee yesterday, laughing and joking with several of the European caddies as they waited for their respective bosses, and he was equally relaxed as he finished his opening round, handing in a one-under-par 69 to lie in joint eighth place.

Padraig Harrington's start was in complete contrast, with two bogeys going down on his card by the time he reached the fourth tee. A one-over-par 71 was the result at the end of the day for the Dubliner.

Clarke's opening drive measured 308 yards and finished dead centre of the fairway, and although he was unable to take advantage it wasn't long before the big Ulsterman was in birdie mode.

Another mighty blow at the 600-yard fourth left him with 311 yards to go and he took on the challenge to finish up just short of the green, but in sand.

Undaunted after a bunker shot that left him 30 feet from the flag, Clarke proceeded to show the confidence that has been a feature of his game recently by holing the birdie putt.

"I am reasonably satisfied with a 69," said Clarke. "I started well and I had a lot of opportunities and I think 69 was a fair reflection of the way I played as I wasted two or three shots out there today."

Harrington's two early bogeys proved how accurate his prediction had been that hitting the fairways here at the Capital City Golf Club would be of paramount importance, as his drive at the first found the left rough from where he was unable to advance the ball more than a hundred yards, the bogey five almost inevitable.

"I drove the ball poorly even though I went with the same driver I used last week," he said.