Golf: Clarke is no match for Lon star Pete

DARREN Clarke squandered a big early lead to crash out of the Accenture Match Play Championship yesterday at La Costa in California.

Clarke was three up after eight holes in his quarter-final match against Aussie Peter Lonard, but made a mental mistake at the ninth to let his opponent win the hole and get back into the match.

Lonard then won the 10th hole with a birdie and grabbed the momentum which he rode to a two-up victory over the frustrated Surrey- based Ulsterman. Top seed Tiger Woods continued his brilliant form to beat fellow Yank Scott Hoch.

Woods earned a semi-final clash with young Australian Adam Scott, while Lonard meets American David Toms in the other semi-final.

Clarke, the 2000 champion, was angry with himself for his mistake at the ninth.

He said: "I got ahead of myself. I was three up and I started thinking of four up.

"Pete had hit his approach into the front trap and I was on the fairway hitting an eight-iron into the green, thinking that if I hit a good shot I could go four up."

Ryder Cup star Clarke subsequently made a mess of his shot and bogeyed while Lonard got up and down to save par and win the hole.

Clarke said: "He got back to two down and then made a great birdie on the 10th and got back the momentum. Momentum is huge in match play and I couldn't get it back.

"I gave Pete a few chances and he made the most of them. He played better golf on the back nine and deserved to win."

After falling behind at the 16th hole, Clarke had a chance to win the 17th, but missed his birdie attempt.

He had another opportunity to square the match at the par-five 18th, but his 21-foot birdie putt slipped wide and he graciously conceded the hole and the match.

So Clarke's quest to become the first man to win this World Championship event twice fell short, but perhaps he could take pride in being the lone European to get to the quarter-final.

Woods, meanwhile, was an unofficial seven under par in his 5 & 4 victory over Scott.

European Tour star Scott came from behind to edge out 49-year-old American Jay Haas 2 & 1.

That gave Scott his dream semi-final against the man on whom he has based his swing.

Scott, one of the few players who can match Woods off the tee, admitted: "I was hitting it past him the other day."

Toms, meanwhile, was never behind as he crushed Kelly 5 & 4, barely 24 hours after visiting hospital with a severe attack of food poisoning.

He recalled: "I got to the hospital about 1.10am. They gave me a couple of bags of fluid and some medicine and I got back to my hotel room about 5am.

"I felt so bad I didn't think I'd be able to play and I don't think I would have if I'd been the first match of the day."

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