Mind games are costing Luke Donald a Major

Majors are not won on the first day but they can easily be lost.

And that was sadly the case for Luke Donald after signing for a 79. He may have shot a nice 70 in the second round, but the pressure was off and he missed the cut by one.

That tells me that the problems were in his mind, and not with his game.

He started on Thursday with a double bogey and that set him back straight away, and he ended up shooting 43 on the front nine.

That was similar to last year’s Open at Muirfield, a course I thought would suit him, where he opened with an 80.

Luke is obviously carrying such a burden of trying to win his first Major.

Having been World No.1 and won the money list on both sides of the Atlantic, he’ll feel that it’s the only thing missing from his CV.

But the older you get and as each one slips by, it’s another opportunity gone. You sense that Luke feels under pressure when you see him on the course in a Major.

I compare that to Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell. They have already won one and their approach is more relaxed. McDowell might do nothing in future but he will always be a US Open Champion.

Luke played with halfway leader Bubba Watson in the opening two rounds and the contrast was stark. He was under pressure while Bubba was relaxed and revelling in his status as a former winner. That only added to Luke’s anxious state of mind.

I just wish there was something I could say to help him. There’s no one I’d like to see win a Major more than Luke.

At Augusta, the first three days are about giving yourself a chance heading into the last nine holes on Sunday. The back nine is the most famous in golf. With water in play at five holes and the undulating slopes on and around the greens, it is guaranteed drama.

Some of those putts and chips are so treacherous, I feel nervous when I’m watching at home!

No lead is too big. You can’t coast your way to victory the winner still has to execute the right shots. Augusta’s history only adds to the pressure. All the players have grown up watching this tournament.

They remember the heroic shots, but they’ll also remember the disasters, such as Scott Hoch’s ‘choke’ in 1989 or Greg Norman losing to Sir Nick Faldo.

Those are etched on the mind. And you know something dramatic will happen tonight to add to The Masters’ memory banks.

So, forget Downton Abbey or The X-Factor. The Masters provides the best Sunday night TV of the whole year!