New driver powers Clarke to share of lead
He used his new driver to devastating effect as he smashed drives of over 300 metres for a round of eight birdies, an eagle and a bogey at the Lost City Golf Club, which is sharing the first two rounds with the Gary Player Country Club.
Playing in a field which also includes Justin Rose and Nick Price, Clarke started his round at the 10th hole and began with a bogey, but recovered to come home in 34.
After a birdie at the first, he then caught fire with an eagle at the fourth and ended up going out in 29.
But as good as Clarke was yesterday, Uli Weinhandl was his equal.
The Austrian, who led the pre-qualifying at Centurion Country Club earlier this week, had eight birdies, as well as an eagle at the 11th, to share the lead with the Irishman.
ONLY two thunderstorms were able to halt British Open champion Ernie Els' assault on a fourth straight victory in the Caltex Masters in Singapore.
Els fired four birdies in the space of five holes at Laguna National to close within two shots of the lead before play was abandoned for the day.
European Tour rookie Benn Barham of England took advantage of being in the first group out on the course to card a superb opening 65 for a one-shot lead over former Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst, Simon Khan and India's Jeev Milkha Singh.
Els, who was able to complete 15 holes in five under par to finish alongside playing partner and defending champion Arjun Atwal, was one of 78 players unable to finish the first round, which will resume at 8am local time this morning.
The South African world number two had just made his third birdie in a row on the 13th when the players were called off for the first time, and after just half an hour delay returned to par the 14th and hit a superb two iron approach from 250 yards on the par five 15th to set up another birdie.
The 33-year-old's drive then split the 16th fairway seconds before the siren went for the second, and final time, to signal the end of play for the day.
"We can go home happy now and come back tomorrow, it doesn't make any difference," said a relaxed Els, who won the Nedbank Challenge at the end of last year and the first two tournaments on the US Tour in Hawaii over the last fortnight.
"I'm happy with the way I came back on the back nine and I think maybe I was about to run out of birdies anyway. I still have to get used to the grain on the greens but I'm satisfied.
"I had a great sleep last night, about nine hours, so I feel a lot better for that and it was good that I had an afternoon start today as well to help get over the jet-lag."
PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON is the first recipient of the Royal Bank of Scotland Shot of the Month award on the European tour.
Harrington's 102-yard pitch to five feet on the 16th hole of his final round in the BMW Asian Open after his drive had hit a drain cover and bounced into water enabled him to keep his two-shot lead and he went on to win.
The award, for November and December, means he can donate £1,000 to a charity of his choice.
Runner-up was Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson for his eight-foot closing putt to win the Omega Hong Kong Open after six second-place finishes.
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