Donaldson named European Tour Golfer of the Month for March

Jamie Donaldson’s rise to Number One in The 2014 Race to Dubai entering this week’s Masters Tournament has earned him The Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Month award for March.

Donaldson, who receives an engraved alms dish and a Jeroboam of Moët & Chandon champagne, launched his 2014 campaign by finishing tied second in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, then rose to the top of The Race to Dubai with an outstanding performance in the WGC-Cadillac Championship in the second week of March.

The 38 year old Welshman, winner of the 2012 Irish Open and the 2013 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on The European Tour International Schedule, produced rounds of 74-70-71 and 70 at Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Florida, to tie with Bubba Watson for the runner-up spot one shot behind Patrick Reed.

Donaldson, who has earned €1,087,034 so far this season and currently heads Thomas Björn and Sergio Garcia in the race for Number One honours, said: “It’s always nice to receive an award like this from The European Tour, it definitely put a smile on my face when I found out this morning.

“It’s a reward for how well I’ve been playing lately. Obviously I had a great week at Doral, and then just carried it on from there really.

“I feel like my game’s been steadily progressing over the last few years, but like everybody else I’m always looking to improve in certain areas. I’m still learning and still working hard, especially on my short game, so it’s nice to see that hard work paying off. Hopefully it’s not the last award I win this year.”

The European Tour Golfer of the Month Panel, comprising members of the Association of Golf Writers as well as commentators from television and radio, focused their attention on winning and exceptional performances in The Race to Dubai on The European Tour International Schedule – Spain’s Alejandro Cañizares captured the Trophée Hassan II in March – while also taking into account events worldwide.

Renton Laidlaw, President of the Association of Golfer Writers and a Presenter for The Golf Channel, said: “The panel was unanimous in giving this prestigious award to Jamie Donaldson following a magnificent challenge for a World Golf Championship title which maintained his wonderful form and enhanced his prospects of a Ryder Cup debut for Europe against the United States in September.

“The panel also highly praised Alejandro Cañizares for his excellent wire-to-wire victory in Agadir and also congratulated Captains Miguel Angel Jiménez and Thongchai Jaidee for the way they superbly led Europe and Asia to a thrilling tie in the inaugural EurAsia Cup in Kuala Lumpur.”

Jiménez, Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, winners of the December, January and February awards respectively, will all be considered together with Donaldson for The 2014 European Tour Golfer of the Year Award, which was won in 2013 by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson following his triumph in the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai which secured the Number One spot in The Race to Dubai.