Clarke miserable in Bay Hill

Darren Clarke's miserable run of form continued in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill last night.

The Ulsterman, 38, looked doomed to miss his third cut of the season when he dropped five shots in his first nine holes to crash to eight over par.

Needing a top finish to qualify for next week's WGC-CA Championship at Doral, Clarke's hopes of surviving the cut looked remote after a nightmare run.

Already three over par starting the day, the Ryder Cup hero bogeyed his second and fifth holes on Bay Hill's back nine to slide to five over.

A double bogey the par four 16th followed by another bogey at the 17th saw him slip six shots outside the projected cut mark.

Veteran Rocco Mediate hit a five under par 65 to grab the clubhouse lead on nine under par, three clear of England's Paul Casey who fired a level par 70.

Joint overnight leader Tiger Woods trailed Mediate by six shots after struggling to the turn in three over.