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Donald has eye on Dubai
6 November 2009
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Article accredited to William Johnson, Chief Sports Writer – The National Newspaper
Luke Donald took a sharp intake of breath when the latest standings for the Race to Dubai were published this week.
“I have dropped a few places, but I still think what I have earned will be good enough. I reckon I should be fine,” observed the American-based Englishman.
Donald, 31, has rested his case in the qualifying campaign for the US$7.5m (Dh27.5m) Dubai World Championship (DWC) which is open to the top 60 eligible golfers affiliated to the European Tour.
A close study of the money list brought him to the conclusion that 52nd position with two qualifying weeks remaining means it will be difficult for nine of the players below him to overtake him and deny him a place in the line-up for the inaugural season-ending showpiece. The desire to be among the first professionals to set foot on Greg Norman’s much-vaunted Earth course later this month made Donald consider making one further appearance in a European event to improve his prize money haul of €584,256.
“That crossed my mind but I’ve been out of action for the last couple of weeks waiting for stitches in a flesh wound to dissolve so that effectively took the decision out of my hands,” he said. “I’ll just wait and see what happens in the closing weeks of the European season but at this stage I feel pretty sure that I’ll be travelling to Dubai.”
If Donald, who has a cushion of more then €72,500 over the man occupying 61st place on the money list, Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti, is granted his ticket to Jumeirah Golf Estates, it will be his first appearance in Dubai since his amateur days 14 years ago.
