European TourBrian KeoghTshwane Open, Darren Clarke, Damien McGrane, Michael HoeyComment

Friday 13th strikes for entertaining Clarke

European TourBrian KeoghTshwane Open, Darren Clarke, Damien McGrane, Michael HoeyComment
Friday 13th strikes for entertaining Clarke

Adrian Otaegui's 62 was a thing of beauty and worthy of the halfway lead in the Tshwane Open in Pretoria. But for entertainment value it would be hard to beat the 67 that left Darren Clarke nine shots off the pace.

As the European Tour pointed out, "it might have been Friday the 13th ... but the 2016 European Ryder Cup Captain had both good, and back luck in equal measure during his second round at Pretoria Country Club."

After birdies at the first two holes, he chipped in for eagle at the ninth and for birdie at the 10th to go five under for the day and into the top 15.

After almost holing his approach at the 12th, setting up an easy three, he then shanked a greenside chip at the 13th and made a double bogey six but birdied the shot 14th thanks to stellar tee shot to a few feet.

Following a short weather delay, Clarke and his playing partners Andy Sullivan and Trevor Fisher Jnr returned to the course to finish the final four holes. 

Sadly for Clarke, the break seemingly interrupted the momentum he had built beforehand, eventually seeing him double bogey the final hole and card a three under par round, to sit two under par after 36 holes and in a tie for 34th.

The 67 was Clarke's lost European Tour round in more than six months and a step in the right direction as he seek his first European Tour top 10 since won the 2011 Open Championship.

Michael Hoey bogeyed his last two holes, carding a one under 69 worth a share of 47th on one under par.

But Damien McGrane missed the cut by a shot after another valiant Friday effort.

After opening with four straight birdies to get back to one over, he proceeded to double bogey the 18th.

Another shot went at the fourth, leaving him four shots outside the cut mark with four to play. 

He birdied the sixth, seventh and eighth but could only make a par-five at the ninth and ended up missing out on the weekend action.