The Open / Bill Elliott / 08 July 2010 / 1

Second at Wentworth, first in Madrid, third at Celtic Manor - Luke Donald enjoyed a golden run in May and June and now he's primed for an assault on St Andrews. Bill Elliott met with the Englishman ahead of his tilt at The Open

Quietly, Luke Donald has skipped this week's Scottish Open and headed instead to the Old Course and St Andrews, Open preparation and a few days of focused dreaming about what might, just might, happen next weekend in the grandest old town in Britain.

Now 33, Donald does almost everything quietly. He is the original understated Englishman and he is also a core member of the so-called Golden Generation of home-bred players. Like the rest he remains golden in every aspect except the big one - for none of them has yet won a major.

Will this change at St Andrews next week? For what it's worth my money says 'yes'. It is now several weeks since I put cash on Donald (currently [55.0] to win the Claret Jug) and, for the moment anyway, I am feeling just a teeny bit smug. This, of course, is not an emotion this polite golfer feels himself. He does, however, feel something much more relevant as he surveys the upcoming battle over the old game's ancestral home.

"I've had a decent run of form of late and moved up the world rankings so, yes, the confidence is pretty good right now, " he says.

"I've played some decent rounds at St Andrews in the past so it's a place I know quite well and feel reasonably comfortable around."

Victory several weeks ago at the Madrid Masters took Donald past the winning post after a gap long enough to cause concern even if most of this fallow period was ruined by an injury to his wrist. This win took him to a career world ranking high of sixth and confirmed the thought that this gutsy player is now back where he rightly belongs.

During a three week swing in Europe in May and June he finished third at Celtic Manor, second at Wentworth and first in Spain. Analysed how you like this indicates some serious form and Donald is not about to disagree.

"I found some keys in my swing (earlier this year) that relate to knowing where the ball is actually going (always a good thing, of course) and this means I feel a lot more confident when I stand over it. It's about feeling comfortable and knowing that you're going to hit good shots and strike the target.

"Look, golf's a fickle game, we all know that. It can change from one month to the next, one week to the next or from a front nine to a back nine so consistency is what we're all after really."

His own consistency continued this week when he finished second in Ireland at the cash-laden JP McManus pro-am. Only a pro-am you say but remember Old Man McMoney's pro-am had a stronger field than this week's Scottish Open can boast.

Donald could have headed on to Loch Lomond but has chosen instead to practice over the Old Course so that he can take the hectic out of next week, throttle back, play a little and then enter The Open more relaxed.

At 5ft 9ins and 11 ½ stone he is not the biggest player out there but St Andrews never has required too much power. No, intelligence on top of proper strategy and a more than slightly good short-game are the required ingredients for anyone harbouring serious ambition for this Open. Donald, believe me, has what it takes.

!Majors always demand full attention, " he says. "It's easy to lapse so you have to focus pretty hard all the time on every shot. You have to think through every shot (before you hit the ball) and what you're after is a sold start and so something to build on."

From where I am looking, it seems obvious that Luke Donald already has the right foundation firmly in place. This really could be his year.

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1. robert bain | 12 July 2010

   HI,

   i HAVE BACKED LUKE SEVERAL TIMES TO WIN A MAJOR HE ALWAYS LOOKS THE PART AND HOPEFULLT IT IS THIS YEAR AT ST ANDREWS AND I WILL HAVE A SMALL WAGER.

   GOOD LUCK TO HIM

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