Clarke bows out at first hurdle and makes rivals happy

Darren Clarke made two rivals happy yesterday by losing his first round match in the Toyota World Matchplay Championship on the West Course. His opponent, Brad Faxon, was naturally pleased to have got through, while Colin Montgomerie was relieved not to be meeting a friend in today's quarter-finals.

Though rain held off for most of the day, the sodden course, brushed by a fresh breeze, made for a testing challenge. And it was all the more demanding for the use of new tees, one of which lengthened the 11th by 22 yards to 398 and the other added 27 yards to the 12th, which is now a 510yard par five.

So it was especially rewarding to keep the ball on the fairway, even though Faxon broke this cardinal rule when securing victory over Clarke. Ian Woosnam, twice a winner of this title, beat Jesper Parnevik the orthodox way, while Frank Nobilo upset the odds by eliminating world number 10 Phil Mickelson at the 38th.

Mickelson was one up playing the last but lost it to a birdie after driving into a fairway bunker. Though his putt of 12 feet for the match, hit the left lip of the hole, the left-hander admitted: "I thought I had made it, but I now realise it was the drive that really hurt me." Nobilo closed him out with a glorious seven-iron to a foot at the short 38th.

"When Colin and I spoke to each other earlier in the week, he said he really didn't want to play me, because we are such good friends," said Clarke. "Now he's got his wish, though I obviously didn't want things to turn out this way."

After being one down at lunchtime, Clarke was mortally wounded by three specific holes in the afternoon. He lost the 19th where he hit a two-iron second shot into rough; the short 20th where Faxon hit a seven-iron to four feet for a birdie and he then failed to capitalise on a winning position at the 450-yard ninth.

Three down at that stage, he couldn't have played the hole better from tee to green. Into the wind, his five-iron second shot finished 28 feet from the pin whereas Faxon hit a four iron into trees. From there, the American played a sandwedge to 24 feet and was satisfied to get down in two putts for a bogey five.

Faxon's satisfaction turned to positive delight, however, when he escaped with a most improbable half, after Clarke three-putted, missing from four feet. Indeed the Irishman's general accuracy with the blade left much to be desired, which meant that Faxon didn't have to function as the best putter in the world to beat him.

Still, the end was a bitter disappointment. Two down with three to play, Clarke missed an eightfoot birdie effort on the 34th. But salvation appeared to be at hand when he played the next in majestic fashion.

Down the 571-yard 17th, Clarke smashed a huge drive 320 yards. After getting a free drop from casual water, he played a superb two-iron of 250 yards onto the front of the green. Faxon, meanwhile, came over the top of a three-wood second into heavy rough, but recovered well with a wedge third shot to 10 feet.

When Clarke made a simple, two-putt birdie from 24 feet, we could see why Faxon's putting is so highly-rated. Needing to match his opponent's four for the match, he stroked the putt unerringly into the right half of the cup. It was a crushing finale for the Irishman, whose long game was exemplary.

The only decent putts holed by Clarke throughout the match were 10 footers at the first (birdie) and the 13th (par) and a 15-footer for a birdie at the 33rd. "I hit a lot of good shots but couldn't convert them into birdies," he said. "After losing to (Costantino) Rocca in the Andersen Consulting, it looks like I'm destined not to play Monty."

Faxon was four under par for the 35 holes which Clarke covered in two under. "Both Darren and I could have putted better," said the American. "He was a good guy to play with. We had a nice relaxed match, very different from the Ryder Cup (when he lost to Bernhard Langer)."

British tabloids then attempted to label his meeting with Montgomerie as a grudge match, in view of alleged remarks by the Scot prior to the Ryder Cup. But Faxon wasn't biting. "Monty and I are friends," he insisted. "I asked him about those things he was supposed to have said and I'm satisfied with the answers I got."

Woosnam, who faces the holder, Ernie Els, in the first of today's quarter-finals, attributed his success against Parnevik to a new driver. After trying 14 different models sent specially from the US last week, he eventually found one to suit him. And so it might, given that it was designed by a NASA scientist.

Called a Tegra, it has a titanium head and an ultra-stiff shaft and is being marketed as a revolutionary new club to help amateurs draw the ball. The key lies in the hosel, which is angled like a Ping putter, bringing the shaft closer to the centre of gravity.

"I can't give the driver a really big one at the moment, but at least I'm not blocking it right," said the Welshman, who produced the best golf of the day, being six under par for 33 holes. "I find I can drive straight if I take it nice and easy."