Clarke unhappy at being kept in dark

13 April 2012

Darren Clarke has blasted US Open officials for forcing him to play on in semi-darkness and probably costing him any chance of a first Major title.  

Clarke wanted to stop on the 13th tee at Southern Hills on Friday night, but the decision to call off play did not come until he had hit two balls into the water on the par five, first with a four-iron and then with a wedge.

A hole he completed just before 9pm cost him a triple bogey eight and sent him crashing from two over par - only six off the lead - to five over.

The Ulsterman returned for the five remaining holes on Saturday morning and covered them in level par to survive the halfway cut with a stroke to spare, but he was still angry at what had happened.

"We could barely see the flag on the previous green," said Clarke. "But the USGA (United States Golf Association) in their wisdom know better than me.

"It was pretty harsh. You needed infra-red to see the ball at the stage the hooter went off.

"The wise people said we had to play on and obviously it was very disappointing that we were forced to."

A number of the 33 players unable to finish last night complained to the USGA about the delay in suspending play.

Robert Allenby was almost certainly among them along with Clarke. The Australian had a quadruple bogey eight at the 16th to go from five over to nine over and out.

"I was playing so nicely," added Clarke. "If I had been on the green in two I'd have had a chance for an eagle that would have taken me to level par.

"It was difficult to motivate myself this morning, but although I wasn't particularly happy I managed to stick in there."

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