Clarke and Harrington take major step

AUGUSTA National’s 465-yard 18th proved a friend to the Irish at Augusta yesterday as it yielded birdies to Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington, helping them into challenging positions going into the weekend.

Clarke added a 70 to Thursday’s 72 to move to two under par and four behind the halfway pacesetter Chad Campbell.

Harrington looked to be out of the hunt when he crashed to five over after seven holes of the first round but he has played the last 29 in six under and so stands just five adrift of the leader.