Darren Clarke is one shot behind the leaders after the opening round of the £2million Smurfit European Open at the K-Club. New Zealander Michael Campbell tops the leaderboard alongside four Europeans after a five-under-par 67 - Massimo Scarpa, who won the North West of Ireland Open last year and also shot a hole-in-one at Fotal Island last weekend, Henrik Bjornstad, Maarten Lafeber and Mikael Lundberg. Scarpa and Bjornstad, 102nd and 116th on the Order of Merit respectively, set the pace early in the day after Clarke, along with Irish Open champion Colin Montgomerie and Argentinian Gustavo Rojas reached the clubhouse with rounds of 68 this morning.
Defending champion Lee Westwood had to settle for a one-under-par 71 while US Open champion Retief Goosen shot a 69. It was a disastrous day for Montgomerie's playing partner Jose Maria Olazabel who carded a seven-over-par 79 while England's Justin Rose shot a disappointing 78. Afterwards, Montgomerie expressed his distress with Olazabel's misfortune. "I feel for him because he is a better player than that," said Montgomerie. "He was just getting a little dejected over the driver. He is not putting the ball on or near the fairways. He knows he can do better, we know he can do better, but he just isn't able to now. Let's hope he can post a decent score tomorrow and take some satisfaction onto next week. It's a shame right now."
For Clarke, this course has special memories as he fired a staggering course record 60 there two years ago. However, the course has since been revamped and both Clarke and Montgomerie feel it would be almost impossible to hit 60 now. The Irishman's round was not as spectacular today but consistent nevertheless. Clarke carded birdies on the fifth, 13th, 15th and 18th holes and suffered no bogeys on his way to a 68.
"It was playing tough, much more difficult than when I shot the 60, so I don't think - well I hope not - that it will be beaten," he said afterwards. "I only missed three greens and had a lot of close birdie opportunities, so I'm happy with the way I played."
The next-best placed of the Irish is Padraig Harrington who is two-under after a 70. Paul McGinley finished level par after a 72, Damien McGrane lies on one-over after a 73, David Higgins and Stephen Hamill are a further shot behind following rounds of 74, Eamonn Darcy and Des Smyth are three-over after a 75, Philip Walton is four-over after a 76, John Dignam is five-over after a 77, John O'Dwyer is a further stroke back after a 78 and Ronan Rafferty is a dismal 11-over following a round of 83.
Meanwhile, Swede Henrik Stenson, winner of the Benson and Hedges International last May and currently 23rd in the Ryder Cup points table, was forced to retire with a hip injury. Stenson had a disastrous first round, double bogeying the seventh and 17th and bogeying the 13th to leave him at six over.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
