A brilliant start which saw him birdie the first four holes helped Darren Clarke to a fine round of 66, just one shot off the lead in the World Golf Championship NEC Invitational at the Sahalee Country Club yesterday.

Toshi Izawa of Japan set a hot pace and was the early leader on six under par 65. He was later joined by South African Retief Goosen.

Clarke moved to five under par after eight holes, but had bogeys at the eighth and ninth holes to slip back to three under. Clarke then had a birdie on the 11th to go four under but returned to three under at the next hole. However, he hit form again coming to the end and a birdie at the 17th left him at four under par.

Then on the final hole he shot another birdie to confirm himself as a real contender.

Padraig Harrington mixed the good and the bad in his round, shooting a one-over-par 72 after losing the advantage of his two birdies with three bogeys.

Out on the course Graeme McDowell was looking at home in the august company. The Portrush player, who only turned professional this year, had an eagle at the 12th hole, his third, and was on level par with two holes to go.

However Ireland's fourth representative, Paul McGinley, was having something of a nightmare. Two consecutive double bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes left him at the bottom of the field on eight over par.

Tiger Woods was not his usual imposing self. However his three-under-par 68 was still far from out of the running.

One shot better was England's Justin Rose. Of late a great starter, but not so hot as a finisher, he made a promising beginning.

Rose, who began with a four-under-par 67 in the British Open but finished tied 22nd, and had an opening 69 in the US PGA, but finished tied for 23rd, produced a four-under par 67.

He acknowledged that there was still some work to be done in the finishing department but was nevertheless pleased with his round.

"It gets the adrenalin flowing," he said.