In the opening round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Thursday, a pretty astounding streak came to an end for Luke Donald. Globetrotting to wins and top-10 finishes in 2011, Donald had also managed to go 449 holes without a three-putt. That ended on his 16th hole at Kingsbarns.
To put that in perspective, Donald basically played 25 rounds of golf without a three-putt. It’s a magnificent run that most amateurs can’t even begin to fathom. With that number in my mind, my Friday morning round of golf was an exercise in futility compared to what the Englishman had accomplished.
Teeing it up at Susquehanna Country Club – home to the Susquehanna Amateur – was a good test of my putting. The course is a Tillinghast design just outside of Johnstown, Pa., and a trying track for even the best player. It took me just 13 holes to three-putt.
Luke Donald, cheers to you.
