Clarke back in business

From Brian Keogh in Tulsa

Darren Clarke believes he's close to his best again after a gutsy US PGA comeback.

Even though he had a disastrous double bogey midway through his round, the Ulsterman still carded a 74 to finish alongside Padraig Harrington on eight over.

At the ninth, Clarke overshot the green and watched his recovery trickle off the front and 60 yards down the fairway.

The double saw him turn in five over par 40, but he kept his head to come home in one under with two birdies in the last six holes.

Clarke said: "I was six over par after 10 holes today and I was able to buckle down and grind out a 74. I didn't want to shoot a 77 or 78.

"On that ninth hole, I've been in the middle of the fairway three times and carded two double-bogeys and a bogey.

"So I've thrown five shots away on that one hole alone - silly mistakes from absolutely nowhere.

"That comes from not being competitive. And when I play a bit more with the way my game is now, I feel confident I can eradicate those mistakes."

Clarke looked set to crash out of the event after a first round 77 but hit a sensational 66 on Friday to make the cut.

The first anniversary of his wife's death is today and Clarke finally sees some light at the end of the tunnel with his game.

He said "I can accept the errors of the weekend because Friday proved to me that I can play again.

"A couple of months ago I probably would have shot 78 or 79 today. But I didn't. I shot 74."