Clarke keeping Ryder Cup hopes alive

Darren Clarke went from three ahead to one behind, but then moved into a four-stroke lead with nine holes to play at the KLM Open in Holland today.

Seeking a win which could easily bring the bonus next week of a Ryder Cup wild card, Clarke bogeyed the long second while playing partner Henrik Stenson birdied the opening three holes.

However, the Ulsterman sank six-foot birdie putts on the next two greens and, after Stenson had levelled again with his fourth birdie of the day at the sixth, Clarke regained control by making birdie at the 562-yard next while Stenson bogeyed there and then double-bogeyed the ninth after driving into thick rough and fluffing a chip.

Clarke was 14-under and Stenson was back into a share for second with Paul McGinley and England's Lee Slattery.

Justin Rose managed only a 71 and resigned himself to the fact that he will be staying in Europe for next week's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, the final qualifying event for the Ryder Cup.

Rose is eighth on the points list, but Oliver Wilson and Soren Hansen looked like closing the gap and Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty are also dangers to his hopes of a debut.