Clarke storms into Masters lead

Darren Clarke today stormed into the lead in the delayed first round of the 67th US Masters.

The opening day of the first major of the year was washed out for the first time in 64 years on Thursday after almost four inches of rain fell on Augusta National since Sunday, Monday’s practice day also being wiped out.

That meant a change from the traditional one-tee start to players starting from the first and 10th tees this morning, with the start time brought forward to 7.30am local time.

Floodlights still blazed behind the first tee when 1988 champion Sandy Lyle hit the first shot of the day, American Bob Estes teeing off from the 10th at the same time.

Clarke was in the penultimate group out from the 10th tee and made the perfect start, opening with a birdie before dropping back to level par with a bogey on the next, the start of the famous Amen Corner.

The Tyrone man parred the treacherous par three 12th and then hit two superb shots to reach the green in two on the 13th and set up a birdie four.

The 34-year-old, whose eighth place on his Masters debut in 1998 remains his best finish in the event, also birdied the 14th and was again on the green in two on the 15th, this time converting a long putt for eagle.

Three pars took Clarke to the turn in 32, although it had taken two hours and 55 minutes for his group to play nine holes, ending any faint hopes organisers had of playing 36 holes today.

A brilliant approach to three feet on the 435-yard first hole then set up another birdie, and Clarke was soon joined on five under by Spain’s Sergio Garcia, who had also started on the 10th and picked up shots on the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th.

Garcia also went out in 32 and birdied the par five second to join Clarke at the top of the leaderboard, eight shots clear of defending champion Tiger Woods, who had made an extraordinary start to his round but struggled to keep pace with the leaders.

Woods’ approach to the opening hole went just through the back of the green and left him a difficult chip up a bank in front of him, then downhill all the way to the hole.

Despite all the rain, the ‘sub-air’ ventilation under the greens had kept the putting surfaces in excellent condition, and Woods’ somewhat clumsy chip gathered pace past the hole and off the other side of the green.

Now playing back up the slope, his fourth shot lacked the speed to get the top of the bank and rolled back off the green towards him.

A double bogey six at least was on the cards, but not for the first time, the world number one promptly chipped in for a bogey five.

Two more dropped shots, at the fourth and fifth soon followed however, and Woods’ frustration showed at the eighth where he threw his club at his bag after his approach span back 20 feet away from the hole.

The 27-year-old could not yet be discounted however. In 1997 he played the front nine in 40 shots, one more than today, and still went on to win with a record 18 under total and record 12 shot winning margin.

Colin Montgomerie had taken 40 shots to the turn but there was no sign of him matching Woods’ inward half of 30 from six years ago.

Montgomerie was among the early starters in the cold morning conditions and, after missing a par putt on the first, the Scot called for caddie Andy Prodger to dig “the gloves out of the bag, my hands are frozen”.

The former European number one saved par on the second after his drive came to rest near the base of a tree, but a hat-trick of bogeys from the fifth were followed by further dropped shots on the 12th and 14th to lie six over.

Justin Rose was having a happier time on his Masters debut, the young Englishman going to the turn in level par.

Paul Lawrie was also level par after 13 holes, but Ireland’s Padraig Harrington was four over after 11 holes.