Luke Donald

Luke Campbell Donald (born 7 December 1977) is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In March 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. In January 2007, he was briefly the highest ranked European golfer. In May 2011 Donald became number one in the World Rankings after winning the BMW PGA Championship. He has spent over 100 weeks in the top-10.^[1] In 2011 he won the PGA Tour money list and European Race to Dubai to complete an historic double. He is the only player to ever win both money lists on the PGA and European Tours in the same year.^[2] In 2011, he also won the PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year awards, becoming the first Englishman to win either award, and the European Tour Golfer of the Year.

Early life

Although his father was from Stranraer in southwest Scotland,^[3] Luke Donald was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. He has described himself as "half Scottish".^[4] Luke Donald and his brother Christian played junior golf at Hazlemere and Beaconsfield Golf Clubs. Christian caddied for Luke. Luke was the club champion of Beaconsfield twice, winning the championship first at the age of 15. He attended the Rudolf Steiner School in Kings Langley and later the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe.

Early career

Coming from England, he joined College Prospects of America, a service also employed by golfer Martin Laird, which created a résumé for him and sent it to all the major colleges and universities in the United States. Several coaches responded, including Wally Goodwin at Stanford University. Goodwin recruited Donald to join his golf squad, but Donald was not admitted to the university.^[5]

Donald subsequently took a golf scholarship at Northwestern University in 1997, where he studied art theory and practice, and became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. His golf coach at Northwestern University was Pat Goss.^[6] He won the individual NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships men's title in 1999, beating the scoring record formerly held by Tiger Woods.

Professional career

Donald turned professional in 2001. The following year he won the rain-shortened Southern Farm Bureau Classic – becoming only the 11th rookie in PGA Tour history to earn more than $1 million in his first season.^[7]

In 2004 he won the Omega European Masters and the Scandinavian Masters on the European Tour. In the same year he was a member of the victorious European Ryder Cup team and also won the WGC-World Cup for England in partnership with Paul Casey. By early 2005 he was in the top twenty of the Official World Golf Rankings and his win in the 2006 Honda Classic moved him into the top ten for the first time. Soon afterwards he moved up to ninth and in January 2007 he moved up to seventh in the world.

Donald, along with Tom Watson, was one of two players to play with Jack Nicklaus in the final two rounds of golf in his career, at the 2005 Open Championship at Old Course at St Andrews.^[8]

Donald won his singles match, 2&1 against Chad Campbell in the 36th Ryder Cup to help ensure Europe win the trophy for a third successive time. Donald took part in three matches and won them all. He also won in the foursomes twice, with Sergio García.

Donald has amassed career earnings on the PGA Tour of over $17,000,000, as well as over €7,000,000 on the European Tour.^[9] In May 2010, Donald won the Madrid Masters by one shot for his first title in four years.^[10] In October 2010, Donald was a member of the European team that won the 2010 Ryder Cup with a one point win over the USA.^[11]

2011 WGC win

Donald's biggest win to date came in February 2011 at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship when he defeated the German and subsequent world number one Martin Kaymer 3&2 in the final. During the final, Donald built a three-up lead over the first five holes, however Kaymer pegged him back and won three of the next four holes meaning the match was all square entering the back nine. Donald was able to regain his lead with two successive wins at holes 11 and 12, then followed that up with a birdie on hole 15 to re-build his three-up lead with three holes to play. Both players then parred the par three 16th ensuring Donald's first World Golf Championship title and biggest victory of his career.^[12]

Donald had been in exceptional form all week and held an unprecedented record of having never trailed at any point during the week. He started the tournament off in fine fashion with thumping 6&5 win over American Charley Hoffman. The second round was much more competitive and his toughest test all week when he faced fellow Ryder Cup team mate Edoardo Molinari. It was a tight match that went down to the 17th, when Donald would win the hole with a birdie to seal a 2&1 victory. His third round opponent was another Italian, this time the young 17 year old Matteo Manassero, however Donald effectively won this by the time the pair reached the 10th hole with a five-up lead. The Italian fought back on the back nine winning two holes off Donald but it was all in vain as Manaserro went down 3&2. In the quarter final on Saturday, he faced American Ryan Moore and Donald again found himself five-up at the 10th hole, but this time finishing it off at the 14th with a 5&4 victory. Later that Saturday his semi final opponent was another United States player in Matt Kuchar, but Donald was in scintillating form, crushing Kuchar 6&5, having found himself seven-up through the first 10 holes.^[13]

It was indeed Donald's form on the front nine all week that took him to this title, as apart from the final when Kaymer clawed it back, Donald was able to build unassailable leads on route to victory. As a result of this tournament win, Donald climbed to his highest ever World Ranking position of World Number Three.

Continued 2011 season form and World No.1

Donald continued his early season form at The Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links when he held the lead going into final round with Jim Furyk. With the pressure of knowing that he would become the new world number 1 he shot a 70 one under round to finish tied with American Brandt Snedeker who fired a quite brilliant 64 seven under par round. In the playoff, both players birdied and then parred the first two extra holes, however at the third extra hole Donald made bogey when his chip ran narrowly passed the outside edge of the hole giving Snedeker the win with a par.^[14]

Donald continued his excellent match play form in May reaching the final of the Volvo World Match Play Championship which he eventually lost 2&1 to fellow Englishman Ian Poulter. He knew that had he had won this tournament he would have gone to world number one for the first time in his career. Donald had previously beaten Ross Fisher, Charl Schwartzel and Martin Kaymer to reach the final, however he could not go on to add the Volvo World Match Play title to his WGC-Accenture Match Play title he won earlier in the year.^[15] This defeat ended Donald's run of 14 consecutive match play wins.

In May 2011, Donald's run of form continued when he beat Lee Westwood in a playoff to win the European Tour's flagship event the BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club. This was Donald's fifth victory on the European Tour and in the process achieving one of the games highest accolades of becoming the world number one. Westwood had entered the tournament as the number one and the end of tournament playoff provided a subplot of world numbers one and two contesting for the championship. On the first playoff hole, the par five 18th, after both laying up with their second shots, Donald played a majestic pitch to leave himself no more than six feet for birdie. Westwood attempted to follow him in but got too much backspin on his approach and it spun back into the water hazard. Westwood eventually chipped out from the drop zone and made double bogey leaving Donald to hole out for birdie winning the title and becoming the new world number one.^[16] Donald is only the 15th player ever to hold the world number one position and only the third Englishman to achieve this feat

In July 2011 Donald won his first tournament as the world number one at the Barclays Scottish Open, which was held the week before the 2011 Open Championship. He shot a bogey free −9 on Sunday to finish four strokes clear of Sweden's Fredrik Andersson Hed.^[17] The tournament however, was badly affected by heavy rain in the Inverness area, with the course becoming flooded, washing out all of Saturday's play. The decision was made to reduce the tournament to 54 holes as many of the players required Monday as a preparation day ahead of The Open Championship.

Donald finished second at the 2011 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, four shots behind winner Adam Scott. He won his fourth title of the year at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic in October 2011.^[18] With the win, he secured the PGA Tour money list title, the Vardon Trophy, the Byron Nelson Award, and the PGA Player of the Year. He later was voted the PGA Tour Player of the Year.

In December, Donald secured the European Tour Race to Dubai for 2011, becoming the first golfer to officially claim top rank on both PGA Tour and European Tour money lists in the same year (although if Tiger Woods had ever taken up official membership of the European Tour, he would have also achieved this accolade on a number of occasions).

Sponsorship

Luke Donald signed with sports management company IMG in 2003. He has a multi-year contract with Mizuno Corp. As part of this sponsorship Luke plays with Mizuno Fairway Woods, Irons and Wedges. Luke also carries a Mizuno Bag, Headcovers and Umbrella. Luke also wears his trademark Mizuno visor as part of his sponsorship. It has been reported that he receives $1 million just for wearing his Mizuno visor, and this could quadruple if he wins a major event such as the Masters.^[19][20] Luke Donald also has a sponsorship deal with Footjoy, who supply his shoes.

Polo Ralph Lauren announced, in February 2007, that Luke Donald has signed a new multi-year contract with the luxury apparel company. Luke will continue to serve as a brand ambassador for Polo Ralph Lauren worldwide for the RLX Golf range. With this exclusive sponsorship, Luke will continue to wear clothing from the RLX collection and will be featured in its advertising campaign. Polo Ralph Lauren has been the exclusive apparel sponsor of Donald since 2002.

Personal life

Donald met his future wife, Chicago native Diane Antonopoulos, while attending Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.^[21] He proposed in June 2006, and the couple married on 24 June 2007 in Santorini, Greece.^[22][23] They have two daughters. The couple own homes in Northfield, Illinois^[24] and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.^[25]

Donald studied art theory and practice in college, and enjoys painting and drawing when not on tour. In 2002, one of his oil paintings was auctioned by the PGA Tour for charity.^[26][27] Donald and his wife are also avid collectors of contemporary art.^[28]

Donald's father, Colin Donald, passed away unexpectedly on 8 November 2011,^[29] just 3 days before the birth of his son's second daughter, Sophia Ann, on 11 November 2011.^[30]

Amateur wins (3)

this list may be incomplete

• 1999 NCAA Division I Championship
• 2000 Northeast Amateur
• 2001 Northeast Amateur

Professional wins (11)

PGA Tour wins (4)

* Note: The 2002 Southern Farm Bureau Classic was reduced to 54 holes due to adverse weather conditions.

PGA Tour playoff record (0–2)

European Tour wins (6)

* Note: The 2011 Barclays Scottish Open was reduced to 54 holes due to flooding of the course.

European Tour playoff record (1–0)

Other wins (2)

• 2005 Target World Challenge (Unofficial money-list event)
• 2007 Gary Player Invitational (with Sally Little)

Results in major championships

DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = Missed the cut
"T" = Tied
Yellow background for top-10.

Summary

• Tournaments played: 37
• Wins: 0
• Top 10s: 6
• Top 25s: 12
• Missed cuts: 11
• Most consecutive cuts made: 10

World Golf Championships

Wins (1)

Results timeline

DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

Career earnings by year

*As of end of 2011.
†Non-member earnings.

Equipment

• Driver – TaylorMade R11 9.5° | Accra Golf Pride New Decade Multicompound Blue Grip
• 3-Wood – Taylormade R9 Fairway 13° | Accra AXIV XC75 X shaft | Golf Pride New Decade Multicompound Blue Grip
• Hybrid – Mizuno CLK Fli-Hi 17° | Aldila NV 85 X shaft | Golf Pride New Decade Multicompound Blue Grip
• Irons – Mizuno MP-62
• Wedges – Mizuno MP T-11 54° and 60° | True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 shafts | Golf Pride New Decade Multicompound Blue Grip
• Putter – Odyssey White Hot XG 2.0 #7 | Black Series Grip
• Ball – Titleist Pro V1x
• Ball Mark – A dot between the Titleist script and the number (color varies)
• Glove – Mizuno Skintite Tour Glove
• Bag – Mizuno Tour Staff Bag

Team appearances

Amateur

• Walker Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1999 (winners), 2001 (winners)
• Eisenhower Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1998 (winners), 2000
• St Andrews Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1998, 2000 (winners)
• Jacques Léglise Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1995 (winners)

Professional

• Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 2004 (winners), 2006 (winners), 2010 (winners)
• WGC-World Cup (representing England): 2004 (winners), 2005

See also

• 2001 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates

References

External links

• Luke Donald at the PGA Tour official site
• Luke Donald at the European Tour official site
• Luke Donald at the Official World Golf Ranking official site
• Luke Donald's diary