Darren Clarke produced a Dubai Open desert storming 64 to move within one shot of the lead with a round to play in the final golf tournament of 2014.
The former Open Champion produced his lowest score on one of golf’s main tour’s for some time to head to the last day of the Asian Tour’s inaugural event just a shot behind the leading four players – South African Jbe Kruger (64), Korean Jeung-hun Wang (68) and the Indian pair of Arjun Atwal (68) and Dubai-based Shiv Kapur (69) – who share the lead on 10-under par.
Clarke, whose 64 is now recognised as a share of the Els Course record, is one back and tied in fifth place at nine under par.
Kapur overcame two early bogeys with an inward 31 and a 69 and stayed in the joint lead on 10-under-par 206 with Atwal, who mixed six birdies against two bogeys for a 68.
The pint-sized Kruger recorded the events first hole-in-one and an eagle while 19-year-old Wang, who has not missed a single cut this season, shot a 68 to put himself in contention for a maiden Asian Tour victory.
Six players are tied at eight under par that include Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat (67) and Pariya Junhasavasdikul (67), Japan’s Daisuke Kataoka (68), India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (69) and Thai-based Scot Simon Yates (69).
Kapur, who won the European Challenge Tour’s season-ending tournament in Dubai last year, is hopeful of completing his double despite his bogey-bogey start. He later missed an eagle putt on 18 for the outright lead but was happy to contend again in the metropolitan city of Dubai.
Clarke has not won since being handed the famed Claret Jug in 2011 at Royal St. Georges.
Darren Clarke now one round away from ending a more than three-year winless drought. (Photo – www.asiantour.com)
Clarke, who won the British Open in 2011, charged up the leaderboard with with six birdies and chip-in eagle on the par four 16th hole. “I’ve played really well all week but made no putts and made a mess of the last hole, the ninth yesterday (for double). Hit an awful lot of good shots and holed a couple of putts today,” said Clarke.
“I shot two 64s in a Pro Am event in Turkey two weeks ago, the Banco Classic, so I’m playing better again which is nice. I’m here to play. I’m not here to make up the numbers. My timing has been off a little bit because of all the weight that I’ve lost. So because of that, it’s taken a bit of time and it’s starting to come back now.”
It is clear the Northern Irishman’s competitive change in attitude, a new dedication to his practice and working hard on his fitness seems to have all the assets which are required to produce results worthy of his immense talent. Somehow, all that effort has not been rewarded.
In Europe, he finished 134th in the Race To Dubai with earnings of €168,324.
Across the Atlantic on the PGA Tour, he banked 128,293 dollars and finished 198th in the RedEx Cup rankings.
Last week in the Thailand Golf Championship Clarke finished in joint 50th position.
And hereunder is Clarke’s response to his round of 64 in Dubai.
DARREN CLARKE: I’ve played really well all week. I hit the ball really, really well yesterday, too, and then made a mess of the last hole. Made no putts and made a mess of the last hole, the ninth yesterday. Today I wanted to go out, play well and keep doing what I’ve been doing. Hit an awful lot of good shots today and holed a couple of putts.
Q. Conditions good for scoring?
DARREN CLARKE: Very little breeze this morning so makes it a little bit easier but saying that, the pins were toughest today that they have been all week. There were some real hard ones there today. Obviously 64, I’m pleased.
Q. What do you think the winning score needs to be?
DARREN CLARKE: I don’t know. I don’t know and I’m not concerned because hopefully the guys won’t get too far ahead and I’ll put myself in there with a chance for tomorrow.
Q. You confident for tomorrow now?
DARREN CLARKE: No, I’ll just go and play, try and play the same way as I played today I hope and see what the outcome is.
Q. One of your better rounds in a recent while?
DARREN CLARKE: I shot two 64s I played in the Pro Am in Turkey two weeks ago, the Banco Classic, and it’s a three round tournament, and I shot two 64s down there on the first day and last day. So I’m playing okay. I’m playing better again which is nice.
Q. Talk about the eagle on 16.
DARREN CLARKE: I hit driver off the tee and just missed the green right down around into a very, very tricky lie in the rough and I hit a beautiful little pitch and lobbed it up there and trickled into the hole. I had another chance for eagle on last but left it short but through a bit of a misread more than anything else.
Q. Always end of the year?
DARREN CLARKE: No, well, I’m here to play. I’m not here to make up the numbers. You know, especially this past year where my game has been okay but not great. My timing has been off a little bit because of all the weight that I’ve lost. So because of that, it’s taken a bit of time and it’s starting to come back now.
