Clarke bounces back from ‘career low’

The last time Darren Clarke had been seen on a golf course was when he was almost running off the 18th at Royal Portrush last Friday after taking a triple-bogey seven to miss the cut in the Open Championship. It is fair to say he cut a wildly contrasting figure at Royal Lytham & St Annes yesterday.

A first-round 68 took Clarke to within one of the early lead at the Senior Open and helped him forget his final-hole torture in his home town seven days before. “That was as low as I’ve been in my career, because it meant a lot,” Clarke said.

“But I did enjoy the week and we got one hell of a winner in Shane [Lowry]. I enjoyed my part, hitting the first shot. I’ve already got one Open and I would love to add the Senior Open. I started poorly today, but my ball-striking came good.”

This is Clarke’s debut in the Senior Open, having turned 50 last August. He has experienced a mixed first year in the veterans’ division, finishing second in Tucson in March and fourth in Japan last month. The Northern Irishman is a noted links practitioner and has form at Lytham. He finished third there at the 2001 Open behind David Duval. “It’s good to be back,” Clarke said. “I played three Opens here, so I know the place. You need to keep the trajectory under control and I did that.”

The tournament was delayed twice in the afternoon because of the threat of thunder. England’s Paul Broadhurst, the 2016 champion, coped well with the distractions, shooting 67 to be in the group sharing the pace.