Golf: Donald and McDowell in mix at TPC

LUKE DONALD and Graeme McDowell were in joint third place entering today's third round of the Players Championship - golf's richest event - at Sawgrass.

But while it was business as usual for Donald, who could go to world No.1 with a win, McDowell revealed just how bleak things got for him the last two months. Northern Ireland's US Open champion came to Florida on the back of three missed cuts in four events, a sequence that started with an 80 at Bay Hill in March.

"You have crazy thoughts," he said. "Will I ever win again? Will I ever be in contention again? Am I done? Am I finished? It's just the craziness of this sport, you never really know what's around the corner."

A weekend with coach Pete Cowen has put him back on track and so far he has posted rounds of 67 and 69 to be eight under par and just two behind American David Toms.

Tomsleads by one from first round pacesetter Nick Watney, while alongside Donald and McDowell are Steve Stricker and last week's winner Lucas Glover.