Donald experiences struggles

Luke Donald
12 April 2012

As Rory McIlroy continued his long wait to resume the US Open - he was not teeing off in the third round until 3.50pm - Luke Donald reeled off the pars on his return to Congressional.

After making the halfway cut with nothing to spare at four over par - a massive 15 strokes behind runaway leader McIlroy - the world number one's hopes of at least continuing his top-10 streak were nose-diving.

American Webb Simpson showed that good scoring was possible after yet more overnight rain, making five birdies in seven holes from fourth to move from joint 56th into a tie for eighth but Donald two-putted every green on the front nine except the 470-yard fourth, where he got up and down from sand to salvage his four.

On the first of the two outward par fives, the 555-yard sixth, a drive into another bunker denied him the chance to go for the green in two, while on the downwind 636-yard ninth he failed to make the carry over the big deep and failed to get up and down.

McIlroy had finished his second-round 66 at lunchtime Friday, but much though he would have liked to get going quickly times were put back because the second round did not finish until this morning after two storm delays.

Donald's first deviation from par did not come until the 467-yard 14th, but it was with a bogey and he dropped to joint 61st on five over.

Defending champion Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington both set off again two over and both parred the opening four holes.

Simpson, meanwhile, bogeyed the 11th and 13th, but a sixth birdie of the day on the next put him level par again.

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