Clarke pulls no punches as title defence off to stuttering start

The last time Darren Clarke had walked up the 18th fairway in a British Open Championship it was on the way to collecting the Claret Jug.

Twelve months on from his triumph at Royal St George’s, the warmth of the ovation he received at Royal Lytham and St Annes was of a similar nature to that he absorbed in 2011, only this time it was en route to an opening six over par 76.

This was not the start of a title defence Clarke would have wished for but he was able to find some humour in his predicament.