Donald's crafty Tree Iron

Luke Donald’s brilliant recovery from trees during the third round of the BMW PGA Championship, a shot reminiscent of the great Seve Ballesteros, has been voted by fans as the European Tour Shot of the Month for May. The shot through a narrow gap in the trees on the 13th hole on the West Course at Wentworth Club polled more than 55% of the votes cast by fans from My European Tour, and one lucky fan who picked the winning shot wins a golf break to PGA Catalunya Resort in Spain, part of the European Tour Courses portfolio and host venue of numerous Tour events. This fantastic prize includes two rounds of golf for two people and overnight accommodation at Meliá Golf Vichy Catalan. After struggling with his driver throughout the front nine on the third day of the Tour’s flagship event, Donald had just picked up two birdies but his fight back looked to be stalling after he carved his tee shot right into the trees on the 13th. But rather than take the safe option of chipping out onto the fairway, Donald threaded the ball through a tiny gap and cut it to the back of the green, from where he managed to get up and down to save par and keep the momentum going. He then went on to win the title, and become the new World Number One, the following day when he beat Lee Westwood in a play-off. “I felt like Seve,” said Donald at the time. “I was in trees, leaves all over my back. I was dropping balls in high grass and escaping from everywhere.” Describing the shot on the 13th, he said: “It was an easy chip out and I could have played for five. And there was a decently narrow gap. The trees were about 20 yards ahead of me with probably about a six-foot gap there. “But I had a decent enough lie where I felt like I could get it through it and create some left-to-right spin on it. And I hit the shot perfectly and made a great up-and-down for four, and that kept the momentum going. Sometimes you have to take risks. That one paid off.” The winners of each Shot of the Month Award will be put forward for The European Tour Shot of the Year, won last season by Graeme McDowell for his unforgettable birdie putt on the 16th green at The Celtic Manor Resort which helped Europe regain The Ryder Cup. Donald joins the other monthly winners so far: Paul Casey (January), Alvaro Quiros (February), David Horsey (March) and Matteo Manassero (April).