MELBOURNE, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Having spent a year
criss-crossing a creation to good success, universe series one Luke
Donald's 2011 odyssey concludes with a singular outing Down Under to
play the Australian Masters during Victoria Golf Club.
After sealing a U.S. PGA Tour money-list during the
season-ending Disney Classic, Donald's third-place finish during the
Dubai World Championship on Sunday was adequate to secure tip spot
on a European Tour's Order of Merit, creation him a first
player to win both debate titles in a same year.
With adequate revisit flyer points to secure a outing to the
moon and small left to prove, Donald was during heedfulness to convince
local media he was still fit and encouraged to kick a strong
Australian margin when a contest kicks off on Thursday.
"I did have a few celebratory drinks (after Dubai), yes. The
flyover was a small rough," Donald, whose Melbourne appearance
will be his final contest for a year, told reporters on
Wednesday.
"But I'm feeling a lot some-more complacent now. we positively do have
enough fuel in a tank.
"Obviously it's a lot of travel, though we feel like we managed
my report flattering good this year. There were a integrate times
where we got a small bit tired. But right now we positively have
enough to get by this week."
With mixed vital leader Tiger Woods skipping the
Australian Masters after returning final year in an try to
defend his 2009 title, Donald is a pretension act in usually his
second revisit to Australia and initial as a professional.
The 34-year-old Englishman's final outing was as an pledge in
the 1990s to play during an eventuality in a industrial heart of Newcastle
near Sydney, a universe pided from Melbourne's rarefied sandbelt.
Donald competence pull some inspiration, however, from the
American group that upstaged a Internationals during neighbouring
Royal Melbourne final month, notwithstanding Greg Norman's
Australian-stacked group braggadocio insinuate believe of the
terrain.
A MACHINE
Although 28th-ranked compatriot Ian Poulter and talented
Italian teen Matteo Manassero figure as contenders, Donald's
strongest foe is expected to come from a locals with
former U.S. Open leader Geoff Ogilvy arch among them.
The 42nd-ranked Ogilvy was one of a strongest performers
in a losing Internationals group during a Presidents Cup and is a
member of a Victoria Golf Club, a brief wander from his
Melbourne residence.
"I'm in a mood to win," Ogilvy told reporters. "This is my
home march so I'm flattering encouraged to win." Nevertheless, the
Australian pronounced a Victoria Golf Club's brief blueprint could
easily play into a in-form Donald's hands.
"It's a good march since it's not going to plea his
length," Ogilvy added.
"He's been a machine. He finishes tip 10 roughly each week
he tees it adult ... It's been an startling year."
The internal fortuitous opposed for a tournament's "gold
jacket" also includes Greg Chalmers, who will bid to turn only
the second actor to win Australia's 3 marquee tournaments
in a same deteriorate after compatriot Robert Allenby.
Chalmers saw off a plea from American Woods to win the
Australian Open in Sydney final month before clinching the
Australian PGA contest in Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Holder Stuart Appleby, who upstaged Woods final year to win
the Masters by a stroke, is in doubt to urge his pretension amid
back troubles and pulled out of Wednesday's pro-am.
"Obviously I've got to get out here during sparrow's and give it
a exam and see how it goes," he said.
(Editing by Patrick Johnston; To query or criticism on this
story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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