British Open: Some things are hard to fathom, like quantum physics or Freudian psychoanalysis. If not exactly testing the brain cells to the same extent, another conundrum to ponder is just why Luke Donald has failed so completely in the test presented each and every year at the British Open.
In his days as a golden-boy amateur, Donald played in two Open championships and comfortably missed the cut.
Since he turned professional, things have improved for him, but only marginally. In four appearances in the event as a professional, the Englishman has missed the cut three times and survived for the first time at St Andrews last year, where he eventually finished tied-52nd.
So, what's the deal? Donald can't put his finger on it. After all, much of his competitive golf as a boy was played on links courses.
"It's frustrating to all the Europeans who feel like they should be winning (majors) but haven't won," he mused.
"You would have thought it would suit our games, especially the British players who were brought up on this kind of golf course . . . you would have thought we were more used to links, but it hasn't worked out that way."
Donald's lack of success in the British Open is an irritant, although his career has been on an upward graph otherwise.
His victory in the Honda Classic in March gave him a second title on the US Tour, and he currently stands at 11th in the world rankings, one place behind his compatriot David Howell.
"I've been playing consistently the last few years. I seem to have improved every year, getting better and better. I feel more confident as a player, more ready to compete at the major level," he said.
Last week's runner-up finish at the Scottish Open would indicate that US-based Donald has brought form with him across the Atlantic, and a high finish here can dismiss any thoughts of requiring a wild card from Europe's Ryder Cup captain, Ian Woosnam.
Can Hoylake signal a change in his British Open fortunes?
"The course is playing very, very short right now, which makes it tricky. You're running through (the fairway) into bunkers, running through into rough . . . I'm concentrating on playing the Open this week, not thinking about the Ryder Cup.
"I'll just play ever week as it comes and not think too far ahead to the Ryder Cup, just concentrate on playing solid. I'm here to compete, and to do well. if I keep playing the way I've been playing, hopefully the whole Ryder Cup thing will sort itself out."
For now, though, the Claret Jug rather than the Ryder Cup is what is on Donald's mind.
Given he finally managed to make the cut in last year's British Open, the next step for him to take is to actually contend over the weekend. It could happen.
Today's selected tee-times
(Irish in bold, British unless stated)
7.36: P Casey, S Garcia (Spa), F Couples (US)
7.47: M Weir (Can), L Westwood, S Verplank (US)
7.58: E Molinari (Ita), E Els (Rsa), L Donald
8.09: J Furyk (US), R Pampling (Aus), G Owen
8.20: V Singh (Fij), D Howell, Z Johnson (US)
8.58: C Montgomerie, J Daly (US), S Appleby (Aus)
9.09: P Harrington, A Oberholser (US), N O'Hern (Aus)
9.20: P Mickelson (US), D Clarke, Y Imano (Jpn)
9.31: I Poulter, S Micheel (US), S Ballesteros (Spa)
12.58: L Glover (US), P Lonard (Aus), G McDowell
13.09: N Dougherty, M Campbell (Nzl), MA Jimenez (Spa)
13.20: G Ogilvy (Aus), C Pettersson (Swe), C DiMarco (US)
13.31: J-M Olazabal (Spa), A Baddeley (Aus), C Campbell (US)
14.09: S Katayama (Jpn), T Woods (US), N Faldo
14.20: D Duval (US), P McGinley, H Tanihara (Jpn)
14.31: T Bjorn (Den), A Buckle (Aus), D Love (US)
14.42: R Goosen (Rsa), T Watson (US), G F'-Castano (Spa)
