Donald sails close to wind in Sawgrass honours quest

LUKE DONALD’S hours of practice in the ‘Windy City’ of Chicago were being put to the acid test yesterday as Sawgrass finally bared its teeth.

The 27-year-old found himself in a tense and thrilling battle for the Players Championship, golf's richest event, on a day when gusts of up to 35mph claimed victim after victim Bob Tway even had a 12 on the par-three 17th.

After weekend storms sent the tournament into a fifth day, Donald first had to complete his third round and, despite a double bogey on the 14th, he was round in 70 and at 12 under par took a one-stroke lead into the afternoon 18 holes.