Donald imagines picture perfect weekend

Adam Candee

Thursday, June 16, 2005 | 9:10 a.m.

PINEHURST, N.C -- Most players dream of putting together a masterpiece performance on a major championship stage like the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

But how many PGA tour golfers could actually paint that masterpiece and talk all about the brushstrokes and light that make it a true work of art?

Probably just one -- Luke Donald, the young European player earning darkhorse mentions from a number of players this week. An avid painter and one-time art theory and practice major at Northwestern, Donald shined in his first Masters and his methodical game could be well suited to Pinehurst's demanding layout.

Donald skipped the canvas in preparation for today's opening round and kept this picture to himself.

"The last few days, I've been trying to get a picture of the greens in my head, trying to figure out where I don't want to be and where to miss it," Donald said. "And you're just trying to hit spots really on these greens, not trying to take too many pins on."

Donald is capable of winning his first major here, if his play so far this year is any indication. In 10 events, Donald has four top-10 finishes, including a tie for third at Augusta National, and nearly $2 million in earnings. That total is already $300,000 past what he made in 21 events last season.

Factor in Donald's young age of 27 years old and his constantly improving game, and it becomes easy to see why even the best are wary of him. Not a long driver, Donald ranked 11th in greens in regulation and 30th in driving accuracy in 2004, abilities that could serve him well at Pinehurst.

"The way he plays and the way he plods along, I think he's got the greatest chance (to win of any European player)," Tiger Woods said of Donald, his first-round playing partner.

An Englishman by birth, Donald has lived in Chicago for the past seven years. He won the NCAA championship in 1999 while playing for the Wildcats and claimed his first Tour win in 2002 at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic.

Course superintendent Paul Jett estimates that 34,000 Krispy Kreme doughnuts and 75,000 hot dogs will be eaten at Pinehurst, not to mention the 330,000 beers that are on tap to be enjoyed.

Pinehurst has also added 6,000 bleacher seats from its last U.S. Open in 1999, jumping from 17,000 to 23,000. Security has been tripled and four miles of security fence has been added. And in other vital major championship news, there are another 196 portable toilets from 1999, bringing the total to 516.