Clarke disappointed at 'only' halving against Duval

DARREN CLARKE had no reason to be disappointed at 'only' halving his match with last year's Open champion David Duval

He believed - wrongly as it transpired - that he had to win his match for Europe to take the title and he would have done so were it not for a putter that remained as cold as ice. That is until he stood over a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th to have a chance of staying on level terms coming down the 18th.

He rattled it home and it was then the American's turn to prove his mettle when he followed him home from three yards.