Clarke lets huge lead slip away

Darren Clarke suffered a disastrous third day at the MCI Heritage in South Carolina.

After leading by six shots at halfway, the Irishman will go into the final round trailing new pacesetter Peter Lonard by one shot.

Clarke followed two successive 65s with a two-over-par 73 at Harbour Town Golf Links while Australian Lonard enjoyed a 66.

“Obviously I’m disappointed with the way I played,” Clarke said. “I didn’t swing it good and I lost my feel on the greens completely.

“I kept bashing them six, seven feet past and missing the ones coming back.

“But I’m only one behind going into the last day, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s not a bad place to be and hopefully I can play better.”

Clarke had just two bogeys in the first two rounds but stumbled to four on the front nine and two on the back, finally surrendering the lead to Lonard with a six on the par-five 15th.

Lonard followed Thursday’s nine-under-par 62 with seven bogeys in a three-over 74 on Friday but he recovered his sparkle with six birdies and could be leading by more if not for a bogey on the 18th, his only mishap of the day.

“Tee to green was pretty solid and I held my putting together, which was good,” Lonard said.

“My chipping was also far better. When I missed the greens I got up and down.”

Rod Pampling is in third at six under after a 68. Five-time champion Davis Love III fired a 69 and is in fourth at five under.

Defending champion Stewart Cink shot a 75 and is tied for 51st at six over.

Masters champion Tiger Woods and the rest of the “Big Four” – Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els – are not entered.