Clarke's U.S. Open bid fails

Darren Clarke yesterday suffered another setback in his struggle to rebuild his golfing career after the death of his wife Heather last year.

The Ryder Cup star will be reduced to watching the U.S. Open on TV next week after failing to win one of nine late qualifying places available to European hopefuls in a 36-hole event at Walton Heath in Surrey.

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And although Clarke could not hide his disappointment, he was totally honest in admitting that he does not deserve to tee off at Oakmont next Thursday.

"I didn't play particularly well," said Clarke, whose two-round total of 145 was eight shots short of the final qualifying place.

"The current state of my game is not good enough for the U.S. Open, so it is maybe not such a bad thing."

Of the 52 starters at Walton Heath only three British players made it through to the second Major of the year led by Nick Dougherty, whose eight-under-par total was only matched by Swede Peter Hanson and Darren Fichardt of South Africa.

Dougherty will be joined at Oakmont by Ulsterman Graeme McDowell and Birmingham's Sam Walker, but among the high-profile non-qualifiers were Ryder Cup men Paul McGinley and Miguel Angel Jimenez.