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Donald's pursuit of improvement a lesson for Garcia?

Luke Donald is world No. 1 - by making numerous changes to his lifestyle © Getty Images

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Luke Donald's rise to the world No. 1 spot is a triumph of many things, not least a willingness to embrace changes to every aspect of his game.

It is something that, in some ways, perhaps his old Ryder Cup pal Sergio Garcia could look to learn from.

Donald has been on a gradual upswing for the last 18 months, growing into the player that undoubtedly deserves to be ranked at the very top of the world. It was perhaps fitting, however, that his coronation should come only after victory in the BMW PGA Championship victory at Wentworth - in the past the biggest accusation levelled at the now 33-year-old was that he never won enough.

Those comments - leading to the coinage of the now-infamous term 'Luke Donald disease', to define players who finish highly in events but seem to lack either the hunger or ability to actually win - rankled with Donald, but they didn't motivate him to seek out innovative ways for him to improve. That came from within - and the results are now showing themselves in the clearest terms possible.

Check this for a list of changes Donald has made since autumn 2009, a veritable cleanse of his game: Replaced his caddie (who was also his brother), linked up with personal trainers Ben Shear and Craig Knight, and started working with 'performance expert' Dave Alred.

The caddie move was perhaps necessary - he and Christian (who now works with Paul Casey, so landed on his feet) had perhaps become too comfortable with each other. The fitness move, however, was infinitely more brave - especially considering Donald didn't take the plunge to hit it further (the most frequent criticism of his play), but instead to accentuate and enhance the style of play he already had.

"He's so much more flexible, stable and explosive," Shears said recently. "We're not trying to get into a long-driving contest with Dustin Johnson. This is about maximizing Luke's potential."

That seems to have worked: thanks to Donald's commitment to working out six-times-a-week, he hits it marginally further but is noticeably more balanced throughout his swing. Everything is incrementally more precise - no mean feat considering that is how his game has often been described almost ever since he turned professional.

Turning to Alred, however, is a left-field move that has reaped spectacular dividends. Previously working with rugby players, Donald contacted the man who was worked often with Martin Johnson's England squad primarily because of a recommendation from his brother-in-law, who happens to live in the same city (Bristol) as the coach.

Together, they have rebuilt Donald's mindset - forcing him to focus on the positive moves he makes every day and turning him into a more clinical version of himself. As part of that he notes down the minutiae of his rounds in a black journal, with positive messages - 'Embrace being great' - highlighted at every turn.

The work has evidently had an impact - Donald can't stop challenging each week - and as a result the buzz around Alred has also grown. At Wentworth last week, he was besieged with requests from players wanting to take on his advice.

Not that he was welcoming.

"Firstly, I'm too involved with English rugby to have any extra time on my hand," he said. "And secondly, I'm so keen for Luke to win everything that I don't have any inclination to work with anyone else."

Donald also became a father during his period of golfing self-improvement, a lifestyle change he - perhaps optimistically - has credited for his recent form.

"My golf has only gone from strength to strength, it's been a real blessing to become a father," he said. "It's given me a lot more responsibility. I've grown up and become a better person.

"She really is an inspiration to me, just watching her grow, learning new skills, adapting, becoming better at what she is. That's what I'm trying to do at golf, too.

"Just every day, try to figure out a way to improve. She does that every day."

But Alred's influence shouldn't be dismissed. 'Performance coaches' or 'Sports psychologists' are nothing new in golf, but that doesn't mean they cannot still have an impact. And one man who might do well to follow Donald's lead and search out his own brain guru is Sergio Garcia.

Garcia's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse, as Donald's have improved © Getty Images

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The Spaniard, after all, is trying to clamber his way back up the world rankings after falling well outside the top 50. He clearly has the game - playing in the final group throughout the weekend at last week's Colonial championship - but not the mindset, as he shot a final round 77 to see him go up in the rankings, instead of down.

He has complained of not being in love with the game anymore, but Donald has proven beyond too much doubt that negative thoughts are not insurmountable hurdles ... if you speak to the right people.

One of the more memorable Ryder Cup pairings of recent times, few would argue that it is Donald who was blessed with the greater natural talent. But in reaching the No. 1 spot he has achieved a milestone Garcia never managed (his highest being No. 2, admittedly during the Woods era of domination), and the major title that has always eluded Garcia looks more within the Englishman's grasp than ever before.

This is not a criticism of Garcia - of course different players need different methods in order to take their best. Instead, it is praise for Donald - he has gone out of his way to find new ways of improving and, at this point in time, seems to have reaped the rewards.

It's an interesting lesson. The question is whether Garcia, or others, will also choose to learn it.

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