Luke Donald makes promising start at Valspar Championship on long road back
Luke Donald, the former world No 1 who has slipped all the way to 919th, took a promising first step as he tries to climb back up the rankings, by shooting a first-round 67 in the Vaspar Championship.
The 41-year-old’s four-under effort left him one off the early clubhouse lead – held by American Joel Dahmen and Austrian Sepp Straka – in the PGA Tour event in Tampa, Florida, on the same mark as Russell Knox, the Scot who posted a rare albatross when holing his second from 274 yards on the par-five 11th.
On just his second start in five months, Donald was understandably pleased at a Copperhead course which has resonance in his career. It was there he lifted his most recent PGA Tour title, seven years ago.
“I can’t believe it has been that long since I won on US soil, but hopefully I can get back to being 100 per cent healthy and get back to winning ways,” he said.
Donald has endured a torrid two years due to a herniated disc. “I have to be diligent, even on everyday postural stuff, like how I clean my teeth,” he said. “There’s no picking up kids or lots of trampolining.”
On the LPGA Tour, England’s Charlotte Thomas shot a seven-under 65 to share the first-round lead at the Founders Cup in Phoenixi. The 25-year-old’s countrywomen Georgia Hall and Bronte Law both fired 69s.
