The Australian’s tee shot back at the 18th again veered left and cannoned off a tree back into the fairway, but he managed to bludgeon his second onto the front-left portion of the green and chipped to six feet with Noren safely on in two.
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Scott Hend fell just short at the European Masters as Alex Noren triumphed in a play-off.
Two further bogeys on the 406-yard par-four 10th and the 417-yard par-four 12th followed, before birdies on the 195-yard par-three 13th and the 516-yard par-five 15th.
One of the three morning leaders, Richard Bland of England, had a 1-under 69 to be in third place, three shots back.
The big-hitting Queenslander will take a one-shot lead over Sweden’s Alex Noren into the final day after the pair experienced contrasting fortunes in Crans-sur-Sierre.
The 43 year old, victor of the True Thailand Classic Presented by Chang last March, was at one point three shots ahead after he opened with a birdie three at the challenging first hole, before three consecutive birdies from the sixth took him to the turn in four under.
Hend made amends with a birdie from eight feet on the 12th, but Noren had produced an even better approach and holed from half the distance to maintain his two-shot cushion. “I ve never won a play-off on the European Tour, so it feels even more awesome”, said Noren, who took some time off earlier in the year when his partner had a baby.
The 34-year-old Swede played steady golf throughout the round, taking bogeys in his stride when they came his way, which was only twice on Sunday.
“I was just trying to hang in there and finish up with some good birdies”.
Having already won the Scottish Open earlier this summer, Noren has rocketed up the world rankings and seems to be delivering on the potential he has shown for many years on the European Tour. “You can’t complain when you get yourself in position in a play-off and someone makes a great birdie”.
The fifth member of the Ryder Cup team playing here, Andy Sullivan of England, missed the cut by one stroke despite shooting a 67.
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And there was further good news for Clarke as Fitzpatrick and defending champion Danny Willett both carded closing rounds of 64 to finish 10 and nine under respectively.
