Donald is looking to end US Open trouble with aid of his short game

Luke Donald has never managed a top-10 finish in the US Open, but the former world No 1 believes that could change at Merion this week.
Luke Donald of England poses with his trophyLuke Donald of England poses with his trophy
Luke Donald of England poses with his trophy

Donald’s best finish in the year’s second major championship is a tie for 12th at Winged Foot in 2006, while he has missed the cut in two of the last four years.

However, with Merion’s East Course measuring just 6,996 yards and Donald likely to only use his driver five times per round, the Chicago-based Englishman feels that plays to his strengths.

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“Usually success in the US Open comes from hitting fairways and greens but my game is really (best) from the green backwards,” Donald said.

“This year I have made a conscious effort to change that to get a little bit more control, to work some things around, spending a little bit more time on the range working on really solidifying a few things.

“It hasn’t happened yet, but statistics will show I’ve improved in those areas and I’ll be starting to hit more greens, having more control of my ball flight.

“And that’s what you need out here to be successful,” Donald added.

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“I would like to have seen it firmer. I think wetter, damper conditions bring more of the field in play. But certainly a course where I’m only hitting five drivers, a course where I’m hitting a lot of wedges, playing to my strengths....I feel like from a hundred yards in I’m pretty good.

“This course demands a lot of good wedge play. Obviously you’ve still got to do what’s pretty important in US Opens, hit fairways, hit greens. That will be a big key for me if I want to be successful.”

Despite being the shortest major course since 2001, Merion still has a number of tough holes with Donald hitting drivers on the fourth, fifth, sixth, 16th and 18th.

Of those holes, only the fourth is a par five (at 628 yards), while the others are par fours and measure 504, 487, 430 and 521 yards respectively.