Clarke impresses on comeback

Encouraged by his wife Heather to return to golf this week, Darren Clarke overcame a sore left knee to begin the Smurfit European Open with a fine three-under-par 69 today.

It was the Ulsterman’s first competitive round after four weeks out comforting his wife as she continued her fight against cancer and heart trouble.

“She wanted me to come back playing again, so I’m here trying to do as well as I can,” commented Clarke, who would have been only two off the lead but for going in water at his penultimate hole.

He thinks his knee problem was caused by doing too many weights.

“It happened at the Forest of Arden (in mid-May) and I’ve been struggling with it since then,” he said. “I got really bad on the back nine today.

“But I made a pretty good score. The rough is up and the wind is blowing about a bit.”

It was at the K Club that Clarke scored a European tour record 60 six years ago and he won the title in 2001.

“It was good to get out and play again. I didn’t get annoyed as I probably would have – my thoughts were waving a little bit.

“It does give you a bit of a boost knowing you have played well here. It’s a much tougher test now.”