Bogey start for Clarke

Darren Clarke held a one-stroke lead heading into the difficult closing holes of the disrupted Nissan Irish Open at rainswept Carton House.

Ulsterman Clarke, who led by two when play in the final round was suspended last night, resumed from the rough on the ninth and had to settle for a bogey.

That brought him back to five under, one ahead of Sweden’s Peter Hedblom and Dane Thomas Bjorn.

Clarke also hit a bunker on 10th but recovered to save par and also parred the 11th.

Bjorn picked up his challenge after a birdie at the eighth, but English pair Paul Casey and Ross Fisher both dropped two shots to fall back to two under after 10.