Friday 28 May 2010

Eagles flying in for Donald

Five days after taking seven on the penultimate hole of the BMW PGA Championship and losing by one, Donald fired a seven-under-par 65 at Real Sociedad to end the day alongside Welsh pair Rhys Davies and Jamie Donaldson.

And, as if to hit back as well at all the headlines last week calling him "Plod" – his brother started that – the Ryder Cup player made two superb eagles.

"I can't remember the last time I had two in a round. I don't think I've had one on the PGA Tour all year," said Donald, who almost holed his 275-yard approach to the monster 653-yard ninth and then hit another rescue club 253 yards to seven feet on the 16th.

"I'm never going to overpower a course and some people think I am a short hitter, but I hit it far enough to compete.

"I would love to have that drive [at the 17th on Sunday] again, but I don't see the value in stewing over it.

"If I had planned a week off it might have been tougher, but you learn and you take the positives. You obviously gain confidence from being at the top of the leaderboard most of the week."