Golf: Clarke won't be blown off course

Darren Clarke found the going tough on a blustery day at El Saler but he still held the joint lead after nine holes of the Via Digital Spanish Open third round in Valencia.

After a relatively calm first two days, the players were met this morning by a stiff breeze that made the links side of the course - the first nine - a difficult prospect.

But alongside Swedes Jarmo Sandelin and Robert Karlsson, Clarke clung onto a one-shot lead halfway through Saturday’s play.

The Ulsterman was enjoying nothing like the torrent of birdies that had marked his opening two rounds, however.

After opening with a bogey, the 32-year-old sunk a 40-foot putt for a birdie-two at the short fourth but then slipped back again with a bogey on the sixth.

He reached the turn in 37, a shot worse than Sandelin and Karlsson who both notched seven pars, a bogey and a birdie in their first nine.

Dane Soren Hansen lay a shot back after playing the first 12 holes in two under, but overnight joint leader Andrew Raitt, from Roehampton, was having a difficult third round.

The 31-year-old began badly with a double-bogey six at the first, and after adding another dropped shot at the fourth he fell back to six under, where he remained after nine.

Andrew Coltart, too, was having a miserable day.

The Scot, who yesterday had stressed the importance he placed on making the Ryder Cup team this year, bogeyed the long fifth and then double-bogeyed both seven and 10 to slide back to two under.

First-day leader Andrew Oldcorn was also struggling, recording four bogeys in a first-half 40 to stand at three under.

Home favourite Sergio Garcia was appearing to relish the weather however.

He recovered from two bogeys in the first six holes to notch birdies at the seventh, 11th, 12th and 15th; he was still very much in contention at four under with three to play.

Fellow Spaniards Miguel Angel Martin and Miguel Angel Jimenez also seemed to adapt better to the wind, moving to six under and five under respectively with 12 holes of their third round played.