Now We Know Tiger's Back: Donald Clarifies Totally Innocent Remark
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Q. Head‑to‑head with Rory on Thursday, just talk about the year he's had and what you've seen him do and how well you know him.
LUKE DONALD: I think we all expected Rory to come out and play great. He showed the world how great he can be and will be going forward at the U.S. Open. That was an unbelievable way to play in that event and finish it off like he did. I've always said, I think of the guys I've played out here on Tour, Rory has the most talent that I've ever played with. He's young and he's got a great future ahead of him and I see him winning lots of tournaments and lots of majors.
Mike Walker shows Donald's stream of backtracking Tweets.
But as John Huggan explains in previewing the Road To Dubai's conclusion starting Thursday (on Golf Channel), Donald gets a free pass on all of it these days as he plays with a heavy heart following the passing of his father.
Of course he is. When faced with a similar situation -- albeit in reverse -- in that he had to win the last PGA Tour event of the season in order to clinch the money title, Donald made nine birdies in his closing round to do both. And now he has the chance to make history as the first man, officially at least, to top both the Race to Dubai and the PGA Tour money-list in the same season (Tiger Woods has actually achieved that feat multiple times but has never played enough events in Europe to be eligible). Success this week would also be a fitting tribute to his late father, who introduced him to the game.
"We didn't play a lot but he would sometimes take me out in the mornings before school," said Donald with a smile. "We would go and play a quick nine holes. I have fond memories of that. His big line was that he taught me everything he knew. He always took full credit for my success."
