Frustrated Donald hopes luck with change at Masters

By Julian

Linden

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) – Luke Donald was left clinging to the hope that his luck will take a turn

for the better after a frustrating second round at the Masters on Friday.

The world number one shot a

one-over-par 73 to reach the halfway stage at four-over, nine behind the leaders.

The Englishman will need a dramatic

turnaround over the weekend to have any chance of winning his first major but said he had not given up hope.

“I’m

going to have to go low tomorrow. I’m nine shots back, which is a long way, but I’m out early and will hopefully get some

good fresh greens,” he told reporters.

“I need to post something in the 60s – 67 or 66 – and get into red numbers and

see where that puts me.”

Donald, who topped the money lists both on the U.S PGA and European Tours last year, started

the day at three-over but made a bright start when he birdied the par-5 second.

He played the next four holes in par

before coming unstuck approaching the turn, making a bogey at seven then a double at the par-5 eighth, which he had birdied

in the first round.

“I didn’t get a lot out of that round. I actually hit a lot of quality shots today and came

unstuck a little on seven and eight,” he said.

“I thought I hit a good shot on seven and came up a foot short and made

a bogey there. And eight I hit a pretty good third shot and pitched a foot from the hole.”

Donald picked up two shots

when he birdied the 13th and 15th holes, both par-5s, but gave one back at the 17th to compound his frustration.

“I

didn’t hit too many bad shots but I wasn’t able to make up much ground today,” he said.

“I was trying to make a

little run on the back nine and make some birdies and get up towards the leader. I made some birdies but unfortunately some

of my good shots didn’t get much.”