Donald watches TV, enjoys birdie bunch

HAVEN, Wis. -- Faced with a late tee time, Luke Donald turned onthe TV set as soon as he got up on Thursday.

I saw that K.J. [Choi] had made five birdies in a row. That wasthe first thing I saw," Donald said. Usually I try not to take noteof what other people are doing when I play in the afternoon, but Iknew birdies could be had."

The former Northwestern star went after them from his opening teeshot, and they came in bunches. Donald opened with three birdies,then made four in a row from holes 8-11. The result was a 5-under 67that, Donald admitted, could have been much lower.

I had eight birdies and could have had at least a couple more," hesaid. I left some out there. I could have shot 64 today."

After making the last of his three bogeys at No. 15, Donald failedto connect on birdie tries from seven feet at the 16th and 15 feet atboth the 17th and 18th.

Still the round put Donald just two shots behind leader DarrenClarke at the PGA Championship and impressed his NU coach and swingmentor, Pat Goss. Donald, coming to Evanston from England, wasn't animmediate hit at NU, but he slowly improved. By the end of hissophomore season, he was the NCAA champion.

Luke's very process-oriented," Goss said. He's alwaysprogressively getting better. It'll be very interesting to see whathappens with Luke. When he finally broke through in college, hebecame very confident, and he followed that with a lot of momentum.I'll be curious to see if the same form holds [in the pros]."

Donald, after playing well in two seasons on the PGA Tour, optedto also join the European PGA Tour midway through this year. Heheaded there after a third-place finish at last month's Western Openand won a tournament in Sweden two weeks ago.

I carried on [today] from my play in Sweden," Donald said. I wontwo weeks ago and brought that form here. My whole round today wasmomentum."

The three birdies to start were relatively routine -- putts fromfour feet at the first, 18 feet at the second and 10 feet at thethird. After making two bogeys in the next four holes, he began hisfour-birdie binge with a 50-foot putt at No. 8. The rest of hisbirdies were set up by dazzling iron shots -- an 8-iron to 20 feet atthe ninth, a pitching wedge to eight feet at the 10th and sand wedgesto two feet at both the 11th and 14th.

Donald's quick start enhanced his chances to become a member ofthe European Ryder Cup team, a major factor in his decision to jointhe foreign circuit in the first place. He heard that Swedish starJesper Parnevik had been promised playing privileges on that toureven though he could play in only 11 tournaments, assuming Parnevikplays for Europe in next month's Ryder Cup.

I asked Ken Schofield [head of the European circuit] if the sameheld for me, and he said he'd make sure it would," Donald said.Donald hasn't made the European team yet and may need to be one ofBernhard Langer's two captain's choices to do it.

We haven't talked about that too much -- just some friendlybanter," Donald said. I'd love to make it, but I'm trying not tothink about it too much."