Heritage Classic: Darren Clarke birdied seven of his 13 opening holes to grab the early clubhouse lead during the opening round at the Heritage Classic in Hilton Head, South Carolina yesterday.

Clarke, who finished tied for 17th at last week's US Masters, got his first round off to a scorching start at the Harbour Town Golf Links, but stuttered slightly coming home with bogeys on 14 and 16 to card a solid, six-under-par 65.

But out on the course in the afternoon the Dungannon golfer was overtaken by Australia's Peter Lonard, who bogeyed the first and then birdied eight of the next 11 holes to lie on seven under par after 12.

The other Irishman in the field, Graeme McDowell, was struggling at three over par after 11 holes, having dropped three shots and not recorded a birdie.

Despite his wobble, Clarke held a commanding four-stroke lead over the other early finishers, including Davis Love, who is trying to win here for the sixth time.

Clarke shot 31 on the front nine at Harbour Town Golf Links thanks to birdies at both par fives, two-putting from 33 feet at the 502-yard second and holing from 11 feet at the 530-yard fifth.

Clarke certainly had the reading of the greens as he sank a 20-foot effort at the par-four third for another birdie before picking up further shots after chipping in at the 195-yard seventh and then hitting his approach to the short par-four ninth to four feet.

Birdie threes at the 12th and 13th took Clarke to seven under, but he was then in trouble at the 192-yard 14th where he bogeyed.

He immediately clawed back that dropped shot at the par-five next, but surrendered the advantage with a bogey five at the 16th, though he held his game together to finish six under.