Clarke stays close to prowling Tiger

13 April 2012

Ireland's Darren Clarke produced a blistering burst through the field at the Masters in Augusta today - just as Tiger Woods did the same.

One of the early starters in the second round, Europe's number two last year resumed in 34th place on level par, but after 12 holes was up to joint fourth.

From seven adrift of American Chris DiMarco, Clarke moved to only four behind new leader Angel Cabrera by going to the turn in 33 and then starting for home with two more birdies.

It was simply a case of picking up where he left off last night for the 32-year-old.

Clarke had grabbed one of only nine birdies all day at the 18th for his 72 and when he rolled in a 20-footer at the first - a hole that saw exactly the same short supply of birdies yesterday - he was off and running.

After narrowly missing putts at the third and fourth he stepped up the pace again from the seventh with four birdies in five holes.

DiMarco, who had a dream Masters debut yesterday with his eight-birdie 65, was not out until lunchtime and in the perfect conditions the early risers knew they had an opportunity to grab the spotlight.

They included Woods, whose chase for an unprecedented clean sweep of the four majors had begun solidly, but unspectacularly with a 70.

It left the world number one joint 15th, but Woods was very much in the thick of things when he birdied the third, fourth and sixth to stand alongside Clarke.

Yet Argentinian Cabrera, a winner in his home country last Sunday, was in sparkling form too. After bogeying the short fourth he birdied the next four holes.

It put the man known as 'The Duck' - or 'El Pato' in his own tongue - nine under and one ahead of American Steve Stricker, with whom he shared second place overnight.

Stricker, who began the year by capturing the million dollar first prize at the Accenture world match play championship in Melbourne, went to the turn in 35 and then sank an 18-foot putt from off the back of the green at the treacherous 155-yard 12th.

Colin Montgomerie, who had been four over par after 13 holes yesterday, continued the fightback that began with three birdies in the last five holes of his opening round.

Resuming on one over as a result, Montgomerie eagled the 575-yard second and after four holes was still one under.

Ian Woosnam was on the same score, but like DiMarco had yet to to tee off again.

Stricker and Cabrera traded places at the top, Stricker making four at the long 13th while the 31-year-old South American bogeyed the ninth.

Clarke, eighth on his debut in the event in 1998, was following Stricker, but he had to be content with a par five on the 13th and remained five under.

DiMarco hoped it was not a sign of things to come when he had a bogey five on the first. He was still lying third, but now only a stroke ahead of the star-studded chasing pack.

When Woods had his fourth birdie of the day on the long eighth his bid for history seemed bang on course.

Even when he three-putted the ninth he was out in 33 and when he won by a record 12 in 1997 - his first major as a professional - he began with a 70 and followed with a 66.

The bogey with which he finished the front nine hurt, but at the same time Stricker bogeyed the short 16th.

He and Cabrera were therefore joint leaders at eight under and it became a three-way tie when DiMarco recovered from his start to birdie the second and third.

Kirk Triplett advanced to fourth spot at six under, while Clarke, missing out on a birdie at the 15th as well, was five under along with playing partner Miguel Angel Jimenez, Woods and Phil Mickelson, who was in the second last group of the day.

The nightmare of the day belonged to Greg Norman. So near so often at Augusta, the 46-year-old Australian followed up an opening 71 by going to the turn in 41 and then having five more bogeys in the next seven holes.

He was heading for his worst-ever score in 21 Masters - and inevitably an early return home as well.

Seve Ballesteros was missing the cut for the fifth straight year. Round in 76 yesterday, he turned in 38, double-bogeyed the 11th and with two to play was eight over.

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