Luke Donald: I can follow Sergio Garcia back to the top after some tough years

Luke Donald is hoping the Sergio Garcia effect can return him to winning ways and catapult him up the world rankings.

The former world No1 returned to the European Tour in the BMW PGA Championship today with the belief that “If he can do it, I can do it” following Garcia breaking his Majors duck at last month’s Masters at Augusta.

Donald also said he had been inspired by Ian Poulter’s return to form to finish second at the recent Players Championship, where Donald, 39, experienced his fifth missed cut of the season.

The backdrop for a resurgence in form is fitting; the sun reflecting off the flag on the 18th tee at Wentworth as Donald, sitting in a hospitality suite overlooking it, looks back to brighter times.

A winner of the European Tour’s flagship event in 2011 and 2012, Donald won six European and PGA Tour events over a 16-month period. He is now ranked 77th in the world, having struggled across the two Tours in recent times, without a win in five years.

Despite the prolonged dip, Donald, partly buoyed by finishing second at the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, South Carolina, which followed the Masters, said: “I was delighted for Sergio. I’ve known him since first playing together aged 12, so it’s nice to see him break through.

“He’s probably one of the most talented golfers I’ve ever seen and this was only a matter of time. It’s hugely inspirational and motivational to try to follow that. If he can do it, I can do it.”

Garcia, 37, is absent from Wentworth this week, although a resurgent Poulter teed off today, hoping to back up his recent return to form in the US after being a whisker from losing his Tour card there.

“He’s had injuries and struggled with his game, too,” said Donald. “You warm to people that struggle and you feel for them. It’s nice to see him gain some success.”

For Donald, there are parallels: once at the top of the world with a short game comfortably the best and enough to make up for his shortcomings in length off the tee.

But ranked second for putting on the PGA Tour this season, there are signs of improvement, which he believes could reach fruition this week at what is the opening event of the new-for-2017 Rolex Series, which guarantees a prize pot of at least $7million at each of its events.

“I’m really close to breaking out again,” he said. “As a golfer, you love coming back to places where you’ve won in the past. Some of the most special memories of my career come from the 18th here.

“But I had chances to win at Hilton Head when not playing my best, so that’s encouraging and proves to me that I’m not far away. It’s been a tough couple of years but this game can be fickle.”

This week, Donald would be content to edge towards the world’s top 50 and, thereby, guarantee his place at the Majors. “I’m just one good event from doing that,” added Donald when promoting the Rolex Series. “People used to ask me if it’s hard being No1 but I really enjoyed it and the chances to win every week.

“The toughest times are when you’re struggling and you’re trying to get it back. I can’t control winning but it’s all coming back.”