Thousand Oaks, Calif. ? Darren Clarke decided to concentrate more on golf than having a good time at the Target World Challenge, and an 8-under 64 on Saturday put him in position for a real party.

Northern Ireland’s Clarke, who never had broken 70 in his two previous trips to Sherwood Country Club, continued his assault on the par 5s by playing them in 7 under.

That allowed him to vault past U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell and take a one-shot lead into the final round.

Clarke made two more eagles, bringing his total this week to five, and putted for eagle on the other three par 5s. A sand wedge into eight feet on the 18th hole for birdie put him at 14-under 202.

“Usually, this week for me is a party week, but the scoring is getting in the way,” Clarke said.

Campbell had never trailed from his opening-round 63, but fell out of the lead with a three-putt bogey on the par-5 13th hole. He birdied the last two holes for a 68 and was tied with Padraig Harrington (65) at 203.

Kenny Perry had a bogey-free 66 and was at 11-under 205.

Clarke finished at the bottom at the Target World Challenge in 2001 and 2003, which is not to say he has had a miserable time.

The money is free – $1.3 million for first, $160,000 for last – he is good friends with tournament host Tiger Woods, and he never has to look hard to find a good time.

Why the turnaround?

“Lack of beer,” Clarke said.

He laments the first-round 65 that put him in contention, saying it “wrecked my plans for the whole week.”

But then, Clarke could have seen this coming. He won the Taiheiyo Masters in Japan last month, then lost in a playoff at Sun City in South Africa last week when Jim Furyk chipped in.