Smyth fails to keep iron hot but enjoys his place in the sun

HAVING put up a truly magnificent performance for three days, Des Smyth's fragile iron play succumbed under the pressure of an Open Championship final day and he limped home in a share of 28th place after a final round of 73 for an even par total of 284. Darren Clarke shot a final day 69 for one over par and a tie for 37th spot.

Few people, Smyth himself for one, could have envisaged a situation before the tournament began, where Tiger Woods would have to shoot 65 on the final day to finish on the same mark as the 49 year-old Smyth. But that's just how it happened and if Smyth was disappointed at not finishing in the top fifteen, ensuring his return next year, he has every reason to be proud of the way he handled himself over the four rounds.

"I played too many bad iron shots", he acknowledged. I was under a bit of pressure and I don't want to go through those shots one by one. They were all crap. But I enjoyed my week. I had my moments in the sun and in the rain, come to think of it. It was great coming up the 18th to that reception. I get the sympathy clap these days, I suppose. I don't think I'll try and qualify again, I'll set winning the British Seniors as my target next year and so get into the Open in 2004.

"I played my worst round of the week to-day which was a pity because the conditions were perfect. I scrambled well and I'm happy with 73 because of the way I played. I hit a few good shots early on and didn't make the putts and even though a birdie at the 9th got me out in one under, I was already struggling at that point".

Sure enough, there were no birdies on the way home and a succession of missed greens led to bogeys at the 12th, 15th and 18th.

"Fatigue was never a factor, when I get to the first tee, I'm buzzed up and can go all day", he insisted. "My driving, short game and putting are great but what the hell ... there I was, leading the Open in the third round. It doesn't get much better than that. And with a weak game ... there are great prospects here, you know".

Clarke might have finished the Open with a round of 69 but he could hardly have been more disgusted with his performance over the four days at Muirfield.

True, he was caught in the worst of the appalling weather on Saturday afternoon but refused to make that an excuse and in actual fact suggested it should have been to his benefit. He soared to a 77 to stand three over par for the Championship and nine strokes off of the lead. There could be no way back from there.

"I've played Portrush on a few days similar to that but certainly never experienced such conditions in a major", he said. "Everybody suffered but I wanted a bit of wind because usually it doesn't bother me. I'm disappointed because of the way I swung the club. It was terrible. If ever there was a chance of getting back into it, that was it, and I didn't take it. This tournament was my number one priority at the start of the year, the one I was looking forward to and I had to go out in the third round and swing the club like that. Even in the conditions, I was very, very poor".

Clarke found it difficult to pick himself up for yesterday's final round although for a time it looked as if might put his keen disappointment behind him. Delightful approach shots set up birdies at the first two holes and he went three under for the day and level par overall with a four at the long 6th.

But the first signs that the great recovery was not to be maintained came when he half fluffed his chip and had to settle for a par five. Good chances were scorned at the 10th and 11th and when his tee shot at the 12th just caught the heavy rough on the left, the impetus was gone for good.