On a dreary day at Loch Lomond, Clarke chipped in for birdie on the tough 16th and holed a series of 20-foot birdie putts on the front nine for a 4-under 67.

Perhaps more impressive than being at 10-under 132 going into the weekend is that Clarke has made only one bogey — a three-putt from 20 feet on the par-3 11th hole on Friday — over his opening 36 holes. He has played cleanly in conditions that caused Phil Mickelson to take a quintuple-bogey on the 18th hole, and Ernie Els to make consecutive double bogeys as he was trying to finish.

“It wasn’t torrential, heavy rain. It was just torrential rain,” Clarke said. “If you’re from Ireland, there’s a difference. We knew it was going to be very hard and the forecast was poor. It was just tough to play in it. Par was a good score on every hole. So being able to shoot 4-under, I was very pleased.”

Among the early finishers, Clarke was four shots clear of Bradley Dredge and Peter Hedblom, who each at a 69. Francesco Molinari had a double bogey on the opening hole and rallied for a 69 to finish on 5-under 137.

John Daly made bogey on his opening hole despite having to go back to the tee after losing his opening shot, then struggled home over the closing holes and shot 73. He was eight shots behind.

Along with trying to win for the first time in two years, Clarke can earn a spot in the British Open next week at St. Andrews by winning, or at least finishing the highest among those who are not eligible.

Once the high-profile player from Northern Ireland, he has turned the feats over to his proteges. First came Rory McIlroy, closing with a 62 at Quail Hollow for his first victory in America in May. A month later, Graeme McDowell gave Northern Ireland its first major since 1947 when he captured the US Open at Pebble Beach.

“I’ve been delighted to see their success,” Clark said. “It’s fantastic for European golf and Ulster golf, Irish golf, to see the two of them playing as well as they have been. I’ve been there a little bit for both of them in the past, and they are returning the compliment to me at the moment to keep going and working away at it.”

His game started to turn earlier in the week when he won the J.P. McManus charity event in Ireland. It didn’t count on his record, although it mattered to see so many putts go in, and the confidence appears to have carried forward.
 

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Brittany Lang battled through the unrelenting heat to fire a two-under 69 and take a one-shot lead over South African Kelli Shean after the first round of the US Women's Open.

Lang, who is seeking her first win on the LPGA Tour, bogeyed her final hole Thursday but still finished just ahead of a group of four golfers including Shean.

Shean was alone in front for over half the round but she three-putted on her final hole at the Oakmont Country club to drop to minus-one.

South Korean Park Inbee is in second with Shean and three others one shot adrift of Lang.

"You said it couldn't be done, but on any golf course you can shoot a low number," Lang said. "If you're hitting the ball good, you can for sure shoot a low score out here. But if you're not on your game you can shoot a big one."

Lang's round included rolling in a 40-foot putt on the 442-yard No. 15 to grab a two-shot lead.

Shean and South Koreans Park Inbee, M.J. Hur and Amy Yang are all at one-under 70.

Japan's Sakura Yokomine and Scotland's Mhairi McKay were alone at even-par 71.

Sweden's Sophie Gustafson and Canadian Alena Sharp were among a more-than-crowded group of 14 at one-over 72.

Lang has twice been a runner-up on the LPGA Tour and has more than $2 million in earnings but no victories.

"But I know that if I think about winning the tournament, I probably will not win it," she said.

The 22-year-old Shean attends the University of Arkansas.

She developed her game after joining junior program  sponsored by South African compatriot Ernie Els.