DARREN CLARKE and David Higgins both shot a two under par 70 in the first round of the rain-affected Peugeot French Open yesterday, but were left standing by the brilliance of South African Retief Goosen, European number one Colin Montgomerie, and England's up-and-coming Lee Westwood.
After a 26-hour marathon, Goosen completed a career-best 64, for a two stroke lead over Montgomerie when the first round was eventually completed in mid- afternoon yesterday. Then, as the persistent rain that had so disrupted the first day returned, he tripled his advantage by getting to the midway point of his second round in only 32 strokes to be 12 under par.
He was still on that mark after completing 32 holes when play was abandoned for the day.
Defending champion Robert Allenby was disqualified after he had signed for an incorrect score at the 11th. Montgomerie, his marker, had put the Australian down for a three at the short hole, but Allenby had three-putted for a bogey, and did not notice the Scot's mistake when he signed for a 77 instead of the 78 he had actually taken.
Otherwise, Montgomerie hardly put a foot wrong in a highly impressive sequel to his outstanding performance at the Congressional Club where Westwood marked his US Open debut by finishing 19th.
"I feel I am playing well enough to win again but with all due respect to Goosen, I think Lee is the biggest danger to me" said the Scot. "The next three weeks are very big for me. I am defending in Ireland, the Loch Lomond tournament is in Scotland, and then it's the Open. It's great that I am coming into this stretch playing the best I have ever done."
Clarke wishes his work on the saturated greens was half as impressive. He managed only four birdies, and two three-putts cost him the chance to move immediately among the contenders.
"I am struggling to get the pace of the greens," he admitted. "It is because of the weather conditions rather than technique, but it amounts to putting poorly."
Higgins, who is being guided this week by Julian Phillips, who will caddie for Seve Ballesteros in next week's Murphy's Irish Open, found late form with his putter, making birdies at each of the last four holes to redeem earlier mistakes.
But for Paul McGinley, there was a nightmare finish to his stop-start first round. He was three under par when he resumed yesterday morning, but two three-putts and a four-putt at the sixth for a double bogey saw him take 42 for the homeward half, and, sign for a 74.
When McGinley went out again he was three over par for the tournament after a further 12 holes. Raymond Burns had a par 72 in the first-round but had improved to two under after 24 holes, but Des Smyth was two over after 27, and Ronan Rafferty one over after 30 when rain ended play at 7.15 p.m.
Smyth had produced a first round 73, the same as Eamonn Darcy and Philip Walton, while Rafferty carded a 76 before recovering to an outward 33 at the second attempt.
It now looks likely - that two rounds will be played tomorrow, weather permitting, with the field reduced to the leading 50 and ties.
