Westwood and Donald suffer major woes in Atlanta

Lee Westwood and the normally cool Luke Donald were fuming last night as their hopes of a first major title were left hanging by a thread.

Westwood even joked about changing religions because he has tried everything else to hole more putts.

Donald, meanwhile, talked of possibly going off to “punish” himself in the gym after a closing double-bogey six sent him tumbling down the leaderboard at the USPGA Championship as well.

The world’s top two golfers were tied for 13th place on one under par with a round to go at Atlanta Athletic Club, and that was six adrift of little-known Americans Brendan Steele – playing the first major of his life – and Jason Dufner.

“I’m completely fed up. I’ve had enough now,” said Westwood after dropping two shots on the 468-yard 14th in an otherwise bogey-free 70.

“I made two birdies and they were from five-foot putts. I missed five inside 10 feet and you can’t do that on these greens – everybody else is making them.”

Asked what more he can do to cure a problem that has dogged him most of the season, he replied: “Different religion maybe. I’ve tried everything else and I need inspiration from somewhere.

“I would like to think they will drop tomorrow, but they haven’t dropped all year, so why should they tomorrow?”

The double bogey came when he drove into sand, rolled down a cart path with his second and then three-putted, missing from inside four feet just as he had for birdie on the long 12th.

Donald was seething after becoming another victim of arguably the toughest closing hole in golf.

He faced a 10-foot putt on the short 15th to take a share of top spot – it would have made him a brilliant six under par for the day – but missed it. And after bogeying the 16th, the 507-yard par-four 18th saw him drive into sand and then go in the water with his third shot.

“I am angry,” Donald said after signing for a 68.

“I had something good going and I threw it away.

“It’s just a shame to waste it like I did. I worked so hard to get to five under.

“Those last few holes are tough, but on the third shot to 18 I was probably too aggressive with my line and just pushed it.

“I gave myself a lot of chances, that’s the positive thing, and if I can go low tomorrow who knows? But obviously the finish leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.”

Texas Open winner Steele (66) and Dufner (68), yet to win on the PGA Tour, led by one from Keegan Bradley – also playing his first major, but nephew of Pat Bradley, winner of six women’s majors – and by two from Scott Verplank.

With Steve Stricker on five under, Americans fill the top five places. And this, of course, after they have gone six majors without winning one for the first time since The Masters in 1934.

The leading European still was Dane Anders Hansen in a tie for sixth on three under, four back.

Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, admitted to frustration as his hopes evaporated in the heat – despite one of the more extraordinary shots of his career.

McIlroy managed only a four-over-par 74 and dropped outside the top 60 on seven over par.

He started with a three-putt six and was in the lake for another double bogey at the short 15th, but the most memorable moment came on the 207-yard 17th - scene of his triple bogey in the second round.

McIlroy, his right arm still bandaged after his incident with a tree root on Thursday, was perilously close to going into the water again.

But instead his ball hit the wall bordering the green, flew high up into the air and finished nine feet from the flag.

It left him wondering what might have come of the week if the same had happened 24 hours earlier, when he came to the hole only two strokes off third place.

“That would have been nice,” said the 22-year-old US Open champion, who came into the week as clear favourite.

“I think there were two pivotal moments in this tournament for me – obviously the shot on the third on Thursday (the one he admits in hindsight he should not have attempted) and the six-iron on 17 yesterday.”

Although he added that his pronator muscle was still “quite sore”, it was his putting that cost him dear.

“I couldn’t get my speed at all on the greens. I’ve struggled with it all week,” McIlroy said.

“I’ve got one more day to go. I’ll hopefully give it my best and shoot a good score and take a couple of weeks off.”

He is next due in action at the European Masters in Switzerland on September 1-4 – it is the first event of the Ryder Cup race – and once home he thinks he might not hit a ball until he gets there.

“I’ll just make sure that it’s okay for a couple of weeks’ time,” McIlroy said.

“Even though I won one tournament and it was a major, I still want to win a few more times to call this season a success.”

McIlroy did not fail to mention that his best round of the week – an opening 70 - came when his wrist hurt the most.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have gone and got it strapped up!” he added.