Player Profile: Jamie Donaldson

Jamie Donaldson

On Sunday the Welshman Jamie Donaldson won his seventh professional title at the Czech Masters to secure his place on the European Ryder Cup team. In this player profile, we take a look at some of Donaldson’s career highlights to date.

A late start to a great career in golf

38-year-old Donaldson was born in Pontypridd, Wales. His love for the game was fostered during the teenage years, with his technique taking shape in his early twenties.

The Welshman turned professional in the year 2000 at the age of 25 – a relatively late start by today’s standards. Nonetheless, Donaldson made up for lost time and was ranked in the Top 100 by the time he made his European Tour debut in 2002.

Early victories

Donaldson switched between the European Tour and second-tier Challenge Tour during the 2000s, winning the Russian Open and Telia Grand Prix in 2001. After making a solid European Tour debut, a chronic back injury put a temporary stop to Donaldson’s progress – but he would not be discouraged from his goal of competing at the highest level of professional golf.

A career turning point

The 2008 season marked a turning point for Donaldson, with a win at the Abierto Telefonica de Guatemala which saw him rank 4th on the Challenge Tour that year.

Having weathered the difficulties of a serious injury for almost a decade, he has retained his European Tour card every season since 2009 and has won three events on the European Tour: the 2012 Irish Open, the 2013 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and Sunday’s Czech Masters.

Success despite the odds

As Donaldson approaches the last few years of his 30s, the easy-going Welshman is making his mark on the European professional golf scene. His determination to succeed and ability to persevere despite the odds have made him one of the most popular players on the European Tour.