Donald remains dismayed in hunt for first major

With Rory McIlroy suffering over the weekend and Lee Westwood’s title hopes fading, Donald’s closing 68 did at least serve a purpose as far as the rankings were concerned.

But on three over par there was still no getting away from the fact that the 34-year-old English star had not achieved what he wanted from his 35th major – a first victory.

Next up is the US Open in San Francisco in June and, having felt fatigued going into that event last year, Donald has decided not to play next month’s Volvo World Match Play in Spain.

He said: “You have to be selfish when it comes to schedule.”

He will be over in Europe the following week, however, for his defence of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth – the event in which he beat Westwood in a play-off to be come world No 1 for the first time.

The highlight of Donald’s round was an eagle on the long 15th, where he used his driver as a chipper from just off the green and made it from nearly 40 feet.

“It’s a good memory to try to think of rather than some of the golf that was not tidy enough the first three days,” he said.

“It’s small margins here and that’s the difference between major tournaments and normal events.

“I think I should be contending – I think my game is good enough. It was good enough to get me to No 1.”

Malton’s Simon Dyson continues to find Augusta a struggle.

On his first visit two years ago he shot 77, 73 to miss the cut by one stroke.

This time round he was never really close to making the weekend, after an opening 78 which included a triple bogey seven on the par-four 11th.

Always chasing in the second round, Dyson shot a five-over par 77, including a double-bogey on the par-five 13th. The 34-year-old only managed two birdies in his 36 holes, both of which came on the par-five second.

He finished 11 over on his first outing for nearly a month.