Clarke makes his move

Darren Clarke finally began his charge to make an impression on the British Open leaderboard at St Andrews but it was Swede Soren Hansen who set the target for the players left trailing in the wake of leader Tiger Woods.

The Ulsterman, playing with three-time British Open winner Nick Faldo, got the start he wanted with a birdie at the first and despite dropping a shot at the next he had a remarkable run of four birdies in successive holes from the fifth.

He even managed to escape trouble at the 352-yard ninth after driving into a bush by the green, taking a penalty drop and chipping to four feet to turn in 32.

However, he three-putted the 10th and dropped another shot at the 11 but a six-foot birdie putt at the next and another at the 13th moved him back to five under.

That was still six shots behind Woods and two off second-placed Colin Montgomerie, who were not off until 3.05pm.

Portrush’s Graeme McDowell also moved to five under with birdies at the first and fourth.

There was more frustration for Dublin’s Paul McGinley, though, as he began the day at one over having just survived the cut and shot a 73 to slip back a stroke.

After a run of eight birdies he had a double-bogey at the ninth after driving into a fairway bunker. Having splashed out he then pitched through the green, chipped back to six feet but missed for a five.

He then birdied the 10th and the 12th but a bogey at the 456-yard 15th and a six at the infamous Road Hole meant even a birdie on the last could not lighten his mood.

“It is disappointing. There is no rhyme of reason to this game,” he said. “I feel I am doing all the right things but it is just not happening. It is an opportunity missed to play well on the big stage and that is disappointing.

“But if you try to figure it out you end up in a rubber room!”

Hansen set the clubhouse lead after a round of 66 took him to six under but Dutchman Maarten Lafeber – who only qualified by finishing joint second at Loch Lomond last Sunday – was still out on the course on seven under after six birdies.