Clarke survives ‘brutal’ day

Darren Clarke didn’t drop a shot despite describing as “brutal” this week’s Tshwane Open course — one of the longest on the 2013 Race to Dubai schedule.

Clarke posted three birdies in a three-under-par 69 on the Ernie Els-designed Copperleaf course, but it was in-form Springbok Darren Fichardt who set the pace with a five-under-par 67 in the inaugural staging of the European and Sunshine tours co-sanctioned event.

The Centurion course itself measures 7,123 metres, 447m longer than this year’s Irish Open host venue at Carton House.