It was announced yesterday that Luke Donald would be missing the remainder of the 2009 season to undergo surgery on his left wrist. This knocks him out of the Ryder Cup mix, making Nick Faldo's captain's pick decision much easier. Donald would have been a tempting choice if not for the injury. I would expect Monty's odds to improve as a result.
Luke Donald
August 13, 2008
March 02, 2008
The pressure is on Donald, not Calc
It's hard to believe that Luke Donald, who is ranked 16th in the world, has won only two events on the PGA Tour, and two other events worldwide. Donald, a Northwestern grad, who hails from England, has not lived up to the high expectations that were set four years ago when he won the Scandinavian Masters and Omega European Masters. That's why the pressure is on this week for Donald. He is 30, and needs something to happen in order to gain some momentum. His playing partner, Mark Calcavecchia, is 47 and has won 13 times on tour. Simply put, he has nothing left to prove. I have no doubt that Calc will do what he always does--fire at pins and be aggressive. But on a course like PGA National, that can prove costly. Expect Donald to play conservatively as he has all week. After all, he needs this win.
