Canny Clarke extends lead at Scottish Open
Darren Clarke proved that yesterday's first round was no flash in the pan in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond today, taking the clubhouse lead with a total of 10-under-par, after shooting four-under for the day.
The Northern Irish player shot five birdies and a bogey to sit four ahead of his nearest pursuers, currently Sweden's Peter Hedblom, Italy's Edoardo Molinari and Wales' Bradley Dredge, all of whom are tied for second place on six-under, though of that trio only Molinari is yet to finish.
Last year's World Cup winner is currently midway through his round - and just a stroke ahead of his brother world cup winning team mate, Francesco, who came home on two-under for the day after a double bogey on the 10th, leaving him five-under in total. England's Graeme Storm is on the same score, Storm having played as far as the 10th.
Two-time major winner John Daly got off to a great start yesterday, but the 1995 Open champion couldn't maintain that momentum today, a double bogey on the 7th seeing him finish the round two-over-par 73, although at two-under for the tournament he will at least make the cut.
Graeme McDowell has only played six holes thus far on his second round, but last month's US Open winner was off to a quiet start, with one birdie on the 3rd seeing him one-under, both for the day and the tournament.
And Ryo Ishikawa followed up an excellent first round with a perplexingly weak second, the 18-year-old Japanese player stacking up the bogeys - starting on the 10th, he racked up four bogeys and a double on his first nine holes, another three following on the front nine, though he did belatedly manage to score a trio of birdies too. That leaves the youngster six-over for the round, two-over for the tournament - though for now, he can still make the cut.
World No. 12 Martin Kaymer had a poor showing, carding a double bogey on the sixth with a further four bogeys and three birdies meaning he finished the day three over par; barring miracles, the German is likely to miss the cut.
At least Kaymer is in good company; Ernie Els finished the day on the same score, three-over in total, the world No. 6 having shot five-over during the second round - a round that comprised double bogeys in succession, on the 6th and 7th.
And world No. 2 Phil Mickelson had a similarly wretched time of it, a quintuple bogey nine on the 18th contributing to a three-over-par for the day - and thus the tournament, Mickelson shooting level par yesterday. So much for Mickelson taking the world No. 1 ranking this weekend.
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