Darren Clarke produced a heady mixture of the good and the bad as he married two double bogeys and a bogey with five birdies before ultimately finishing on level par 71 in the first round of the MCI Heritage at the Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, yesterday.
The Dungannon man was four behind clubhouse leader Cameron Beckman, who leads fellow Americans Heath Slocum, Jonathan Byrd and British Open champion Ben Curtis by one.
A further shot back was US Masters runner-up Ernie Els, who was one of a slew of players who shot 69 yesterday.
Defending champion Davis Love III was not having it his own way out on the course, standing at one over par after 15 holes.
Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer carried on his good form from Augusta, joining fellow German Alex Cejka on one under par 70.
