Fatigue may catch up with Donald

SPORTS BETTING: LUKE Donald’s victory over Lee Westwood in a play-off for the BMW PGA title at Wentworth on Sunday sent him to the top of the world rankings.

And it also made him a warm favourite for the tournaments he is to contest in a busy June.

Donald has had a sensational 2011 and it is no surprise that he is only 10-1 to win the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, Ohio, starting tomorrow.

But despite his amazing consistency, he is only human and fatigue must be a factor bearing in mind he was playing in England only a few days ago.

Phil Mickelson is 14-1 and Lefty is always a threat. That said, he could just as easily spray the ball all over the course and you can’t do that at Muirfield Village.

My two against the field are Americans Nick Watney and Hunter Mahan, who have been knocking on the door in recent weeks and whose excellent iron play will suit this course.

Slight preference is for the former at 20-1.

The European Tour bandwagon rolls on to Celtic Manor tomorrow when Graeme McDowell will defend the Wales Open title he won in such great style a year ago before going on to win the US Open.

G-Mac led going into the final round of the Players’ Championship at Sawgrass last month, but the way he folded on the last day confirmed previous suspicions that his game is not where he would want it to be.

He is worth opposing at 12-1 for this event and the player I like is Darren Clarke, who ended a long, losing sequence when winning in Majorca recently and is a class act in the wind – conditions forecast for this weekend.

At 45-1, he looks a solid each-way bet given his current form.

Looking further ahead, the US Open is only a fortnight away and the aforementioned Donald, Mickelson and Westwood share favouritism at 14-1.

Amazingly, Tiger Woods can be backed at 16-1 - who ever would have though that a couple of years ago? - while Rory McIlroy is 22s.

Martin Kaymer is going to win another major before too long and the German star is my long-range fancy at 25-1.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Nick Watney, e.w., Memorial Tournament, 20-1 (general); Darren Clarke, e.w., Wales Open, 45-1 (Bet 365).