Donald disappointed after poor finish 10/05/2008 - 21:12:43
Luke Donald surrendered any faint chance of winning the Players Championship when he suffered a nightmare finish to his third round on Saturday.
Donald was cruising along nicely until he made a weak bogey at the par-four 12th and he promptly dropped three more shots over the difficult closing stretch to shoot a disappointing 74 at Sawgrass.
“It’s a shame, because I played quite nicely the first 11 holes,” the Englishman said after posting a five-over-par total of 211.
“I didn’t miss a shot the first 11 holes and then I chunked one into the bunker on 12.
“I also four-putted the 15th from the fringe and didn’t commit to my shot on the 17th and hit it in the water.”
Donald, a member of the past two victorious European Ryder Cup teams, is no certainly to make this year’s side. He began working on some swing changes late last year and they have not yet quite gelled.
“It’s getting closer,” he said. “I’m starting to control the ball more. Hopefully it’s going to be better and more consistent throughout.”
Donald has added a couple of European Tour events to his schedule next month to boost his chances of qualifying for the Ryder Cup. He will play the BM International Open in Munich and the following week’s French Open.
Donald completed his round just as fellow Englishman Ian Poulter teed off in a strengthening breeze. Poulter started nicely with a birdie at the par-five second to improve to two under.
He was four shots behind halfway leader, the American Kenny Perry, who was scheduled to tee off with a one-shot edge over Spaniard Sergio Garcia, German Bernhard Langer and American Paul Goydos.
Several early starters made big moves, none bigger than American Greg Kraft, who carded a 68 to lie one under.
Langer and Garcia are at opposite end of their careers, 50-year-old Langer mainly playing the senior tour, while Garcia, at 28, still has his best golf ahead – at least he hopes so.
Langer had an informal chat earlier this week with Nick Faldo, this year’s European Ryder Cup captain.
The last time the competition was held in the United States, four years ago, Langer captained a magnificent European side to a record victory at Oakland Hills.
“We did talk a few things about the Ryder Cup,” said Langer. “We just talked about two or three things and were pretty much in agreement I think.”
Langer laughed off suggestions he might contend for a captain’s pick for this year’s event, but at the same time did not totally rule it out.
“If I should play really well the rest of the year and he thinks I might be of any benefit to him, I would be happy to maybe take a spot, but I doubt I’m even on his radar screen,” he added.
HOME PAGE
ARCHIVES
|