Clarke leads at KLM Dutch Open

Darren Clarke gave a huge boost to his hopes of a Ryder Cup wild card by charging into a share of the halfway lead at the KLM Open in Holland on Friday.

The 40-year-old Ulsterman wanted to show Nick Faldo he has form as well as experience and did just that with a sparkling six-under-par 64.

Amazingly, Clarke has not scored lower in a European Tour event since his unforgettable round of 60 during the 1999 European Open at The K Club.

He is now eight under par alongside England’s Robert Rock and Swede Alexander Noren – and neither of them has ever won on the circuit.

Clarke’s display is certainly food for thought for Colin Montgomerie, with whom he could be fighting for the final place in the European line-up for next month’s match in Kentucky.

Faldo has two wild cards to hand out on Sunday week and Paul Casey is probably favourite for one of them after his recent run, while Open runner-up Ian Poulter still has hopes of being one of the 10 to qualify automatically.

Montgomerie has struggled since his second-place finish at the French Open at the end of June, but he does still have next week’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles to impress.

“I need to play well this week and next week and so far this week I’ve done that,” said Clarke, who kept a bogey off his card on a Kennemer course he had never seen until this week.

“If Nick then feels I am worthy of a pick so be it. If not then that’s acceptable.

“I was just very relaxed out there. With the boys (sons Tyrone and Conor) here I’ve got to be on my best behaviour and my attitude is just pretty good.

“I’ve taken a lot of pressure off myself and feel comfortable. I’ve been playing well and I’m in a good position now.”

Clarke won in China in April – Montgomerie’s last victory was July last year - and just three weeks ago tied for sixth at the Bridgestone world championship.

The Scot was 77th out of 80 there and then 149th out of 155 at the US PGA. Clarke also missed the cut, but by three shots rather than 12.

As for the race for the last three automatic spots in Faldo’s side Justin Rose, Oliver Wilson and Soren Hansen are still able to control their own destiny.

Rose, joint fifth after an opening 67, lost some ground with a 69, but three birdies made it a better day than it looked like being at one stage.

Wilson, ninth in the standings, remained one under, while Dane Soren Hansen’s 69 for six under was no mean effort given that he resumed with a double bogey six.

Hansen is 213 points ahead of German Martin Kaymer in the last automatic spot and Kaymer reached four under before bogeying two of the last three for a 66.

Favourite for the title has to be Sweden’s world number six Henrik Stenson, who moved to seven under with a 65.

The 32-year-old has not won for 18 months, but tied up a second cup appearance against the Americans by coming third in The Open and fourth at the US PGA.

“It’s nice not to be on the bubble here,” he said. “I was at The Open, but my two best majors got me out of that tight pack.

“It’s exciting to see how the team is going to shape up and I am starting to get the tingle – I am really excited about it and I think we are going to have a good time over there.

“I’m taking the next three weeks off to get fresh and ready – I hope.”

Stenson turned down his US Tour card to lighten his schedule and, even though they are currently playing for a £5million jackpot, he has no regrets.

Defending champion Ross Fisher, 13th in the cup race, just made it through to the weekend on level par, but Nick Dougherty’s lip-out on the last for a 68 and one over total left him waiting to see if that was good enough to survive.

Dougherty is 14th on the table and will be glad the race ends next week and not this week.