Donaldson seeks home comforts

Jamie Donaldson admits he would love for his long wait for a maiden European Tour title to finally come to an end at his home event.

The 36-year has registered 32 top-10 finishes in more than 250 tournaments - however that first win has remained elusive.

However Donaldson is aiming to break his duck at the Wales Open after finishing joint-eighth at Celtic Manor last year.

Donaldson, who was a team-mate of Luke Donald and Paul Casey in the 2000 world amateur championships, said: "I'm just looking forward to putting four rounds together and see where we're at.

"I've played here loads and overall my form is pretty good. I've just been lacking consistency.

"I don't feel any extra pressure here. If anything it feels easier.

"I played all my amateur golf in Wales and I've got lots of happy memories. My goal in any tournament is to win, but it would be especially fantastic to win here."

Donaldson recently became a father and added: "It's been hectic, but awesome.

"You're suddenly looking after somebody else and not just yourself. I don't think it's really changed my golf at the moment, although I took a couple of events off that I would have normally played."

Donaldson played his first major in America at the USPGA Championship last August. He tied with Tiger Woods, but that was not saying much - they missed the cut by six.

He was originally entered for the US Open qualifier on Monday, but did not feel in the best of form after the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and so chose to recharge his batteries rather than play 36 holes in a day.

This week offers a good chance as Paul Lawrie is the only player in a Ryder Cup qualifying position in the field.

There are also just four of the side which beat the Americans on the course two years ago - England's Ross Fisher, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez and Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari - plus then captain Colin Montgomerie and current captain Jose Maria Olazabal.