Clarke looking for a miracle

Darren Clarke, the one European golfer to win a world championship event, might need a miracle to win another at Mount Juliet this weekend.

Clarke double-bogeyed the 18th for an opening 75 at the American Express championship today to be nearly last of the 65-strong field.

After driving so close to the edge of the lake that he had to stand in the hazard for his next shot, the Ulsterman was unable to make the green on the 481-yard par four hole and, after pitching on, he three-putted for his six.

The day had not been going well before then. Clarke bogeyed the first and, after matching the birdies of playing partner Phil Mickelson at the fourth and fifth, he finished the front nine with three successive bogeys.

World number two Mickelson had a double bogey and three bogeys in his round - but also seven birdies for a two under 70.

Clarke won the Accenture match play world championship in California two years ago, beating David Duval in the semi-finals and Tiger Woods in the final.

This season promised much when he was second to Vijay Singh in the Houston Open in March and then won the English Open in June.

But his game has cooled since and he is desperately hoping it can catch light again at the Ryder Cup next week.

“I don’t know if I’ve improved or not (since beating Woods),” he said.

“I’ve gotten a little bit older and allegedly a little bit wiser, but although I’ve become a little bit more consistent I still haven’t been able to turn that into the results that I want.

“I would have hoped that the win at La Costa would have been a springboard onto bigger and better things and unfortunately that hasn’t happened. Not through any lack of effort, but it hasn’t materialised.”

Clarke was asked before the event to choose between the Amex crown – and its million dollars first prize – and victory in the Ryder Cup.

Unlike Padraig Harrington, who said he wanted both, he plumped for the Ryder Cup.