S-Pain driving on brave Darren

May 4 2008 By Callum Robb

DARREN CLARKE continued his brave recovery to race up the leaderboard in the Spanish Open yesterday.

The Ulsterman, who won last week for the first time since the death of wife Heather, fired a five-under 67 to pile pressure on leader Ignacio Garrido.

Home hero Garrido, bidding to emulate his dad Antonio's victory in the 1972 championship, slipped up with a three-putt bogey at the last for a 72 and 15-under 201.

He leads by three from Miguel Angel Jimenez (67), who chalked up his 14th Tour win in Hong Kong at the start of the year.

But the Spanish duo will both be looking over their shoulders at Clarke, who lifted the Asian Open in Shanghai last week to end a fiveseason drought.

Clarke, still upset over a writer's comment that he was "sliding inexorably towards oblivion", downed a 30-footer on the l8th in sizzling Seville to boost his hopes of back-to-back successes.

He said: "The jetlag has gone and I'm feeling strong again. It was like the old days to hole big putts on the last two greens.

"A top-three finish would jump me further up the Ryder Cup table and if I can shoot 63 or 64, which is on, who knows what might happen."

Garrido wasn't too upset by his mistake at the last and said: "It's just one more hole in the round - nothing to worry about. The rest of the round was good. I felt comfortable and am happy with my performance.

"I did hit a couple of uncommitted shots but it just happens that you lose your concentration a bit."

English Amateur champion Danny Willett, 20, showed how low players can go with a 64 that edged him one ahead of Clarke.

He was on course to break the record for an amateur when he sat 10 under after 14 holes but a bogey at the 15th stopped his charge.

England's Mark Foster shot 68 to move into joint third place, one behind Jimenez.

Colin Montgomerie is back on 217 after a 74 and looked rusty after his five-week lay-off.

He reached the turn in a tidy 35 to move two under but threw away three shots in five holes, hitting into the water at the 16th to run up a six.

Monty has set a target of winning twice in his first eight events following his longest mid-term break as he aims for a Ryder Cup call.

The Scot said: "I'm struggling a bit and not really holing anything."

Monty was outscored by playing partner Alan McLean, the Canada-based Scot, who shot 72 for 215.

Kirkcaldy's Peter Whiteford, also round in 72, is top Scot on 212. But he said: "I'm not playing well and putting myself in too much trouble off the tee - I got it round but it was a struggle."

The 27-year-old mixed three birdies and an eagle with three bogeys and a double bogey.

His eagle three came at the 13th when he holed from 35 feet but he ran up a six at the 15th after pulling an eight-iron into deep rough from the middle of the fairway.