Golf: Clarke has Darren good go at nicking Cup place

DARREN CLARKE knows Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie needs no further headaches at the moment - but he might be about to give him one.

While Montgomerie battles off-the-course private life issues for the second time this year, one of his vice-captains will resume the USPGA Championship today only one off the lead at Whistling Straits.

Ulsterman Clarke, 42 tomorrow, is still in his first round, though, and his first shot when play gets under way again at 0700 local time (1300 BST) will be a 30-foot par attempt on the 14th hole.

Over three hours were lost to fog yesterday morning and only half the 156-strong field completed their scheduled 18 holes before nightfall.

Italian Francesco Molinari and American left-hander Bubba Watson, both of whom could end the week by clinching a first Ryder Cup cap, share top spot in the clubhouse following four-under-par 68s.

South African Ernie Els and Watson's compatriots Matt Kuchar and Nick Watney, two more contenders for a debut at Celtic Manor, were on the same mark entering the closing stretch when play was called off.

Six years ago, Clarke was the first-round leader with a 65 and he said: "It is always nice to come back to where you have played well on before.

"It's a lot different to then though as it is softer and the greens are holding. I didn't get myself into any pain off the tee. The only hole I played badly was that last one there in the dark and to hole a 30-footer for par is a big ask." Montgomerie is well aware that, if Clarke climbs into a qualifying spot, he wants to play and not be an assistant.

That would leave the Scot needing to find a replacement in a hurry, although that can wait for the time being while he tries to deal with further publicity about personal matters. Both Luke Donald and Ian Poulter have already come out and said Montgomerie has their full backing to continue in the job and Richard Hills, Europe's Ryder Cup director, issued a statement yesterday saying: "We have absolute confidence in Colin as Europe's captain and we look forward to him standing on the first tee at Celtic Manor when the 2010 Ryder Cup starts exactly 50 days from now."

Montgomerie is also playing in Wisconsin but, from one under after four, he fell back to five over after 14. Rory McIlroy went in the opposite direction. Three over after four, the 21-year-old had recovered to one under after 13, while Scot Martin Laird and Ireland's Shane Lowry were on two under.

Tiger Woods was not about to go singing from the rooftops about a round which left him tied for 24th after day one of the final major of the year.

But the world No.1 still recognised that a one-under-par 71 when the USPGA Championship began at Whistling Straits was far better than what had come before and what many people thought might follow.

Woods was 18 over par in finishing next-to-last at last week's world championship in Ohio, so going to bed only three strokes off the lead was a massive leap.

Bathgate's Stephen Gallacher had an early tangle with a bunker "the size of a doughnut", but there was nothing jammy about the way he fought back to post an opening one-under par-71. Gallacher, who double-bogeyed the short third after doing well to get the ball out of the tiny trap, played the remaining 15 holes in three under with birdies at the fifth, 16th and 223-yard 17th, where he made a 15-foot putt.

"The bunker was two paces by two paces," he said. "I was under the lip, couldn't go for the flag and just hit it as hard as I could.

"It wasn't the best of starts, but I'm delighted. I battled and played some good golf.

"You can't lose your concentration here.

"If you do you can take any numbers. But I'm not letting it get to me - I know I am playing well enough to be patient.

"It's some course, a complete grind from start to finish."

Gallacher was in the second group off and got up at 4.55am for a 7.10 tee-off time, which then became 10.20 because of fog.

"I had four breakfasts and two lunches," he joked.

"It wasn't the best of starts, but I'm delighted. I battled and played some good golf"

STEPHEN GALLACHER