England’s Luke Donald is in the driver’s seat after two rounds of the Honda Classic to end a 14-month winless drought.

Donald, 37 posted scores of 69 and 67 to move into second place on four under par, and only two adrift of American Patrick Reed in the rain-interrupted event being staged on the Champions Course at PGA National here in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Donald has won 15 times around the globe in his now 14-year professional career but it’s not been since successfully defending the 2013 Dunlop Phoenix Open the now Florida-based Brit has been in the winner’s enclosure.

His last taste of success on the PGA Tour was in capturing the 2012 Transitions Championship in stunning style in Tampa Bay, and an event since renamed the Valspar Championship.

Luke Donald looking to end a 14-month winless drought at the rain-interrupted Honda Classic. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

Donald’s second day’s play was a mix of five birdies, including a gem at the last where he chipped from 113 feet inn front of the 18th green to around a foot for birdie, while he also recorded two bogeys.

“It was a day, again, where the putter was really working, which has been letting me down of late the last few tournaments,” he said after taking 25 putts.

“But being back on Bermuda greens,  and a nice little tip from my coach early on in the week that seems to be working really well.

“It was also a day of patience with a lot of stopping and starting early on, and obviously some tough conditions with some heavy downpours early on made it tough.

“The wind started to pick up a little bit this afternoon, but this is the kind of place that you have to really grind and be patient, and especially with these conditions.

“But overall today was one of those days where I made some long ones and was really a good, solid putting day and obviously had a lot to do with my score.”

It is a welcome return to form for Donald who could feel somewhat unlucky, given his Ryder Cup record, in being over-looked last year for a Gleneagles ‘wildcard’ choice.

As well, Donald crossed the American continent having missed the cut in his three ‘West Coast Swing’ events including posting a 75 a week ago in the Northern Trust Open in L.A.

“My results were pretty disappointing having missed a few cuts narrowly on the West Coast but sometimes the results don’t kind of show the progress I was making,” he said.

“I felt like my game was getting better each week, even though I wasn’t scoring particularly well.

“So I wasn’t too frustrated with my game because I felt like it was progressing in the right direction.  So again, not really a pep talk.  Just keep continue to work on what I’ve been working and I felt like some good things were going to happen and obviously the last two days have been very solid.”

And as Donald said in his earlier comments it was a putting tip that has proved helpful through two rounds this week.

“I just sent my coach a couple putting videos and the front and side and he thought I was moving a little bit from my center line and was making the club exit a little too far left,” said Donald.

“I was just trying to stay a little more centered and next to that club more down the line.

“But then I’ve had three top-10s here at the Honda Classic and for whatever reason, a lot of ‑‑ I feel reasonably comfortable around here.  My results are pretty good around here.  I’m not sure what it is about this course, but I’m able to be very patient.  There were some very tough holes for me out here.

“But most of the holes, I just try and be very patient and play them sensibly I suppose.  I know this is a tough scoring course in terms of number that it takes to win, and I think that’s probably more my preference rather than somewhere that’s 20‑, 25‑under.  I feel like if I can just play my own game, tick off a few birdies here and there, then I’m going to put myself in position.”

And when asked if he surprised Rory McIlroy was assured of missing the cut, Donald remarked: “Certainly looking at his results and the way he’s been playing and how dominant a driver he is the of the golf ball and he’s had some past success ear, so it’s obviously surprising and I’m sure he’ll tell his own story.  But I wouldn’t worry and read too much into it.  Rory has been by far the best player in the world for the last year or so.”