Clarke out in the cold

Darren Clarke had 30 putts in the second round. Picture Fran Caffrey www.golffile.ieDarren Clarke headed straight for a sunny Bahamas after his Open defence turned into a damp squib.

The defending champion missed a tiddler for par on the 18th and added a 71 to his first round 76 to miss the cut on seven over.

Clarke groaned: “I’m a bit frustrated to come here and play the way I did. I just didn’t hole any putts.

“I was trying to put on a good defence and it wasn’t that bad tee to green but I just had a very cold putter again.

“I had a lot of ground to make up today and gave myself plenty of chances to do that and make the cut but I just didn’t take them.

“I am not playing that bad but you can’t compete putting the way I am putting.”

Clarke has not qualified for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational but will return to action in next month’s US PGA at Kiawah Island.