Donaldson back in contention

Welshman Jamie Donaldson, back at the event which put him out of golf for six months last year, burst into contention for his first European Tour title today.

The 28-year-old, a team-mate of Luke Donald and Paul Casey when Great Britain finished second in the world amateur team championship in 2000, defied more strong winds to shoot a superb 68 in the second round of the Jazztel Spanish Open at San Roque.

On two under par Donaldson is four behind halfway leader Peter Hanson – and ready to pick up where he left off in agony 12 months ago.

After an opening 65 on the Canary Island of Fuerteventura the Macclesfield-based player was lying second behind compatriot David Park but was unable to complete his second round because of a recurrence of terrible back pains.

“It was a struggle to walk, let alone play,” Donaldson remembered today. “I’d had problems on and off since I was about 18, but the situation was getting worse and worse.

“If I hadn’t stopped then I don’t think I’d be playing now.

“I went to see an osteopath at first and was told I had two or three different things wrong. Then I was referred to the London spine clinic and their rehabilitation expert John Bowskill.

“I couldn’t practise and if you can’t practise you can’t compete, so the only solution was to take a complete break and get myself stronger.

“Being in the gym five days a week was boring at first but then it started getting exciting because I could start seeing the improvement.”

Donaldson returned at the Dunhill Links championship in October, made the cut and then finished 14th in his only other start of the year at the Madrid Open.

After finishing a lowly 179th on the Order of Merit the former Welsh amateur champion was granted a medical extension to his tour membership and already this season has finished eighth in Portugal and 11th in the star-studded Dubai Desert Classic.

His 68 at San Roque included a four on the 568-yard 17th which, playing into the wind, required a drive, four iron and three iron. “In practice I was on the green with a drive and three-iron,” he commented.

Hanson, one of seven joint first round leaders, closed with a 35-foot birdie putt for a 68 of his own and with it edged ahead of fellow Swede Peter Gustafsson, winner of the tour qualifying school on the course in November.

Fourth in the Volvo Masters at nearby Valderrama at the end of last season, Hanson is another looking for his first success on tour and said: “It’s more like a game of chess out there – you’re trying to make as few mistakes as possible and you come off absolutely exhausted mentally.”

Dubliner Peter Lawrie, the circuit’s Rookie of the Year in 2003, lies three behind and joint third with France’s Gregory Bourdy following a 70.

“I’m a bit worn out,” commented Lawrie, echoing Hanson. “If you don’t hit fairways and greens it’s virtually impossible – and if you’re not driving well forget it.

“I’ve been playing well and I think I was just waiting for a difficult course so everybody else comes back to me.”

He was still not on the green after a drive, two iron and five iron at the 17th, but then, using the five iron again, chipped in.

England’s Mark Foster had a remarkable 28 pars in a row before breaking the sequence with a birdie, while 1999 Open runner-up Jean Van de Velde, who lost his card last season after two knee operations, is on level par along with the player who beat him at Carnoustie, Scot Paul Lawrie.