Donald romps into contention at Akron

Luke Donald gave himself the chance of a second World Golf Championships title this season with a superb burst in Akron today.

Only joint 21st at halfway in the Bridgestone Invitational, England’s world number one went to the turn in a four under par 31 with birdies at the first, second, fourth and eighth.

Donald, who won the Accenture Match Play in Arizona in February, was up to seven under, but he still had a three-stroke deficit.

Australian Jason Day was the first to reach 10 under, making an 11-foot eagle putt at the long second and then holing from 20 feet for a two on the fifth.

Runner-up in both The Masters and US Open, Day was quickly joined out in front, however, with compatriot Adam Scott and little-known American Keegan Bradley both picking up two early birdies.

Play had been brought forward because of the threat of thunderstorms later and with the 76-strong field split in half, Tiger Woods and Ian Poulter found themselves teeing off in the first group of the day at 7am.

Neither could make the move they were hoping for however.

Woods, in his first event for 12 weeks after knee and Achilles tendon injuries, bogeyed the first and eighth, but did at least sink a 20-footer at the next to be level par starting for home.

Poulter was having a nightmare day. A wild drive left led to a triple bogey seven on the first and after coming back with a birdie he went over the third green and three-putted for a double bogey six.

The English Ryder Cup star then came to grief on the back nine as well. After a birdie at the 10th he bogeyed the next two and then had his second triple bogey seven of the round to slump to eight over.

Scot Martin Laird remained at the head of the British challenge, converting a 16-foot chance at the third to be joint fourth on eight under.

Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and world number two Lee Westwood were still in the hunt.

McIlroy two-putted the long second for birdie and parred every other hole on the front nine to be five under, while Westwood was one further back after birdies at the second and seventh were his only deviations from par in the first 11 holes.