sport golf mastersaugusta 8381721 ----- # Luke Donald takes three weeks off to prepare for Masters ## While some of his Ryder Cup colleagues, and adversaries, including Tiger Woods, headed north to Isleworth for the r&r that is the Tavistock Cup, Luke Donald opted instead for family time at Florida Keys. ![Luke Donald takes three weeks off to be ready for Masters][1] On target: Luke Donald finished joint sixth in Doral, saying that four weeks on the road has started to catch up with him Photo: REUTERS [![Kevin Garside][2]][3] By [Kevin Garside][4] 7:19PM GMT 14 Mar 2011 [Follow Kevin Garside on Twitter][5] [Comments][6] It is the start of a three-week period of tournament rest for Donald aimed at producing a precision return at the Masters on April 7-10. Rest should not be confused with down time in a schedule designed to bring Donald to a peak at least four times a year. The world No3 took 11 weeks off at the end of last year, six of which were spent without a club in hand. He returned to claim the first World Golf Championship event of the year at Tucson a fortnight ago. He followed that with two top-10 finishes at the Honda Classic and on Sunday at the Cadillac at Doral. Donald went to dinner on Saturday night in second place two shots off the lead. Also at the table at the Argentine restaurant was Nick Watney, who started the final day on the same 11-under-par score as Donald and converted that into the most prized victory of his career. Watney shot a five-under 67 to win by two shots. Donald could do no better than even par for a share of sixth. Though disappointed, Donald has learned to take the broader view, to place outcomes in context. The result, he said, was more to do with a body clock designed to deliver on the second weekend of April not the second in March. "I think four weeks on the road started to catch up on me. It was my best finish here. I don't think I have even sniffed a top 10. It's progress. I had a chance to win here. I didn't play that great in the end but it's been a good run over the last three weeks." ## Related Articles * [Woods drives away poor form][7] 13 Mar 2011 * [Donald's 66 puts him in contention][8] 12 Mar 2011 * [Ishikawa's thoughts with quake victims][9] 11 Mar 2011 * [Woods still caught in eye of the storm][10] 10 Mar 2011 * [Westwood paired with Kaymer and Donald][11] 10 Mar 2011 * [Woods on the defensive][12] 09 Mar 2011 Donald has planed an early reconnaissance at Augusta a week before the Masters to plot the course and hone a more aggressive strategy. Concerns over his lack of comparative length off the tee were brushed aside over the past month. Donald showed at the Accenture Matchplay Championship that he is long enough to win. Far more important is the mental muscle required to contest four rounds at Augusta. "I've got a little bit of time off and then back at it. A good couple of weeks and I'll be ready," Donald said. [X][13] Share & bookmark Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz [What are these?][14] * Share: [Share][13] [ ][15] [ ][16] [Tweet][17] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/mastersaugusta/8381721/Luke-Donald- takes-three-weeks-off-to-prepare-for-Masters.html Telegraph ## [The Masters][18] * ### [Sport »][19] * ### [Kevin Garside »][3] * ### [Golf »][20] * ### [US Tour »][21] External Links * ### [PGA][22] * ### [Masters][23] * ### [Tiger Woods][24] In sport [![The Masters 2011: after the choke][25] ][26] ### [After the choke][26] [![][27] ][28] ### [The Masters: final round][28] [![The Masters 2011: Rory McIlroy is a carefree dreamer with the golf world at his feet][29] ][30] ### [Collapse worse than Norman's][30] [![][31]][32] ### [Montgomerie's course guide][32] [X][13] Share & bookmark Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! 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