Trio in pursuit of Clarke and Price

The young and the old of the multi-national European tour were gathered today to try to mount a challenge to Ryder Cup pair Darren Clarke and Phillip Price at the K Club near Dublin.

Eighteen-year-old South African Charl Schwartzel and veterans Mark McNulty and Eduardo Romero, soon to be 50 and 49 respectively, were among those on the heels of the Belfry team-mates going into the third round of the Smurfit European Open.

But the last thing Clarke and Price intended to do was look over their shoulders at those pursuing them.

They are both seeking their first wins since the dramatic victory over the Americans – a triumph that made them even more popular wherever they go on this side of the Atlantic.

Dungannon-man Clarke has grown used to that, having been among Europe’s premier players for approaching a decade.

But it was all new to Welshman Price and he has been happy to speak this week about the ups and downs of life in the spotlight.

Having been Pontypridd’s Man of the Year in 1994 – that was to mark his first tour win – he has been awarded the same title in Newport the last two seasons.

First for making the Ryder Cup, then for helping Europe to reclaim it.

But he has found that with attention comes the risk of hassle.

“At the Wales Open (six weeks ago) it was ridiculous,” he said. “I like to be pleasant and not rude, but it was getting to the stage where I didn’t have a choice. It’s wearing and you can’t get on with your job.

“I really don’t know how someone like Beckham handles it. I have always tried to be polite and I have watched guys and thought they were rude and aloof, but now I almost see why they tend to do that.

“If they didn’t they would be stopping and talking all day. There’s a very fine line.”

Without a top five finish all season, Price resumed today on nine under par and alongside Clarke,

winner two years ago and keen to get a title boost just two weeks before the Open at Sandwich.

In 1997 at Royal Troon the big Dungannon golfer finished second after leading by four at one stage and then at Lytham in 2001 he was one behind with a round to play and ended up joint third four strokes adrift of David Duval.

“If you look at the majority of people who have won majors they have tended to serve their apprenticeship,” he said. “There have been a few who have won first time, but not many.

“Troon probably came too soon for me, while at Lytham I felt I played well enough to win tee to green – it’s the best I have struck the ball in a major - but on the greens I didn’t.

“Even though I’m 34 and have been out here for 12 years there is still a lot of room for improvement and I’m trying to work in the right direction to get back up there and give myself opportunities.”

To that end Clarke rang coach Butch Harmon after his opening 67 at the K Club. Of all things to be doing, Harmon was preparing to go into a four-man bobsleigh in Utah, but from what Clarke described, he made some pointers and off the Ryder Cup star went to the range.

Schwartzel is a stroke behind along with Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth, quietly becoming a very efficient golfer, while Zimbabwean McNulty and Argentine Romero, both trying to become the oldest-ever winners on the circuit, share fifth spot with another Scot, Andrew Coltart.

Colin Montgomerie is still in it four behind, but pre-tournament favourite Padraig Harrington did not think he had a chance after squeezing through the halfway cut at two over thanks to a closing 20-foot birdie putt last night.