Clarke into fifth after stunning surge

Darren Clarke produced his best form of the year so far in the third round of the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando today.

The Northern Ireland golfer, joint 39th at halfway, covered the first 12 holes in six under to move into a tie for fifth place.

And that would have been fourth but for the fact Sergio Garcia holed a 35-foot bunker shot at the opening hole to improve to eight under par, only two behind overnight leader Lucas Glover.

Clarke began the day with two birdies and then had four in a row starting at the ninth to to be seven under.

Among the players he overtook were Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and England’s Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and Greg Owen.

Woods, seeking his fourth win in six starts this year and fifth victory at the event, was still only three under after six holes, a bogey on the third being followed by a birdie on the long next.

Els, just one off the lead after an opening 67, fell back to two under with bogeys at the second and third.

Owen was five under and tied for ninth after three holes, Westwood one further back and Rose three under with Woods.

Glover was joined out in front on 10 under when Australian Rod Pampling sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the first.

Robert Allenby, the other member of the final group, three-putted the hole for bogey and that lifted Garcia into a tie for third.