Darren's quick of the mark

Darren Clarke’s liking for La Costa, even in the rain, continued today as he won six of the first eight holes of his second round match with Davis Love.

Winner of the Accenture world match play championship on the California course three years ago – he claimed the million-dollar first prize by beating Tiger Woods in the final – Clarke was close to securing a place in the last 16 before some of the players had even teed off.

It was a mixture of his own good play and some unexpected mistakes from the Ryder Cup American, a winner on the US Tour only three weeks ago and easy winner over Surrey’s Paul Casey in the first round.

Clarke hit his tee shot to less than three feet on the short second, then Love drove out of bounds on the next.

At the 204-yard fifth the Ulsterman was only three feet away again and holed after his opponent had missed from five. Minutes later he chipped in and at the seventh Love was in rough and sand as he lost yet another hole.

On the long eighth Love was favourite to win, but three-putted from only 12 feet and Clarke hit the flag with his chip and took another step.

Padraig Harrington, meanwhile, trailed by one at the turn to Scott Hoch, while Justin Rose was level with defending champion Kevin Sutherland after eight.

Harrington found himself laughing minutes before falling behind.

He had Hoch halved the first in par fours and after Harrington hit his tee shot to the second Hoch turned to match referee Mike Shea and asked if he was able to get information on where the ball had finished.

The Irishman laughed and smiled as Shea spoke on his walkie-talkie and then came back to say that Harrington was off the green, but not in the bunker.

“I guess that means you’re entitled to tell me,” said Hoch, who then hit his own shot to five feet and won the hole when his opponent failed to get up and down.

Shea, senior director of rules for the US Tour, said: “I’ve never been asked that question before and had to find out whether I could supply that information. I had seen where the ball went.”

Harrington, who until yesterday had never won a game in the event, promptly birdied the long third to get back on terms, but Hoch’s 18-foot birdie putt on the seventh was the difference between them as they headed to the back nine.

Rose holed from eight feet at the second to take the lead against Sutherland, who knocked out Sergio Garcia yesterday.

The hole already had happy memories for the 22-year-old from Hampshire - another birdie there had given him victory at the 20th hole over 2001 Open champion David Duval in the first round.

Woods lost the opening hole for the second day running, but his next shot was hit to two feet and the top seed was level with South Korean KJ Choi after three.