More woe for Darren Clarke

Darren Clarke's career lurched further into crisis when he crashed out of the Singapore Masters at Laguna National.

The Ulsterman, 38, slumped to a one over par 73 on the easier Classic Course to miss the cut by a massive five shots.

Not only is it bad news for his hopes of donning a green jacket at the Masters next month, it also means he has just one more chance to qualify for the WGC - CA Championship at Doral in Miami in two weeks' time.

Dubliner Peter Lawrie, 32, hit a two under par 70 to trail leader Jyoti Randhawa by just three shots on eight under par and maintain his hopes of a maiden win.

But star draw Clarke was heading for the airport again after mixing four birdies with five bogeys to miss the cut for the second time in four strokeplay starts this season.

Ranked 52nd in the world, the hero of last September's Ryder Cup will need to contend in next week's Bay Hill Invitational to return to the top 50 in time to qualify for the second WGC event of the season.

But Clarke wasn't the only big name casualty on a day when India's Randhawa fired a four under par 68 on the tough Masters Course to lead by one stroke on 11 under par from Glaswegian Barry Hume.

Ryder Cup players Lee Westwood and David Howell also missed out, as did K Club skipper Ian Woosnam and last week's Johnnie Walker Classic winner Anton Haig.

Westwood birdied three of the last four holes but finished just one stroke outside the mark on one under par while Howell's 73 on the Masters Course left him two shots from safety on level par.

It was an equally frustrating week for Ireland's Damien McGrane and Gary Murphy, who failed to survive by just one stroke.

While McGrane could not have too many complaints after a 73, Murphy was left to regret a bogey on the 16th in an otherwise excellent two under par 70.

With Eddie Barr also missing out, Ireland's hopes of victory now rest with Lawrie.

The Castleknock professional birdied the first, second, seventh and eighth to lead the tournament on 10 under par.

But a double bogey at the 210-yard 12th slowed his progress and he parred his way home to share fifth place with China's Liang Wen-Chong at halfway.

Leader Randhawa, 34, was delighted to edge one shot clear of Hume in windy conditions with Scot Gary Lockerbie and Malaysia's Iain Steel two shots adrift on nine under.

Singapore leaderboard
133 Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 65 68
134 Barry Hume 65 69
135 Iain Steel (Mal) 70 65, Gary Lockerbie 68 67
136 Peter Lawrie 66 70, Liang Wen-Chong (Chn) 64 68
Missed cut
143 Lee Westwood 70 73, Damien McGrane 70 73, Gary Murphy 73 70
147 Darren Clarke 74 73
152 Eddie Barr 76 76