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**truebluefan** · 08-24-2008, 09:53 PM

Darren Clarke was giving Nick Faldo a further nudge that he should be the man to complete Europe's Ryder Cup line-up by taking a commanding lead at The KLM Open.

The 40 year old Northern Irishman had to wait until nearly 3pm to begin his third round because of a one-hour lightning delay at the start of the day.

But when he did, Clarke, who shared the halfway lead with England's Robert Rock and Swede Alexander Noren on eight under par, birdied the fourth, sixth and seventh holes before taking a bogey at the eighth.

He got back on track with birdies on the 12th and 13th and is currently 12 under par through 15. It is a superb run that has only been helped by the slumps of his earlier rivals.

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**truebluefan** · 08-24-2008, 09:54 PM

If the early starters are anything to go by, there will be some low scores when the frontrunners step out onto the course for their final rounds at The KLM Open.

Raphael Jacquelin has passed the Kennemer test in the most convincing style, producing the joint best score of the week with a six under par fourth round of 64.

It could have been even better but the Frenchman, who shot seven birdies and an eagle, dropped strokes at the ninth, 16th and 18th holes, leaving him on four under par for the competition.

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**truebluefan** · 08-24-2008, 09:55 PM

Darren Clarke is nine holes away from victory at The KLM Open after recovering from a shaky start to go out in 34.

It leaves him 14 under par and four clear of Henrik Stenson, Lee Slattery and Paul McGinley, but for a while Stenson looked set to crash the party.

The World Number Six, resuming three shots adrift of the 12 under par lead, charged to 12 under with three birdies in his first three holes, while Clarke fell to 11 under with a bogey at the second after he pitched over the green.

The Northern Irishman's response was superb. He hit his approaches to six feet at the fourth and fifth and birdied them both to be one ahead again on 13 under.

More turns lay ahead, however. First Stenson birdied the sixth to go level, but when Clarke picked up a stroke at the eighth and the Swede dropped a shot it sent Clarke two clear in his bids to win the event and receive a Ryder Cup Captain’s pick.

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**truebluefan** · 08-24-2008, 09:56 PM

Darren Clarke hauled himself into The Ryder Cup reckoning with a superb four stroke victory over Paul McGinley at The KLM Open, with Henrik Stenson taking third place at Kennemer Golf and Country Club.

The Ulsterman's final round 66 for a 16 under par total came too late for him to force his way into an automatic Cup spot, but Nick Faldo issues two Captain’s Picks next Sunday and Clarke is firmly in the hunt.

He now heads to the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles determined to make his inclusion in a sixth straight Ryder Cup Team a certainty.

"It's nice to win knowing that I had to play well and then actually doing it," said the man who was an inspiration to the last European side by winning all three of his games.

"I had two weeks to try to impress Nick. The first is out of the way and I seem to have done that.

"I don't know if I have done enough, but I'm going to Gleneagles in better shape and hopefully he will take notice.

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