"He's playing the best golf in the world right now. If he's not winning every week, he's finishing second.
"I shot a 65 round here when I was world No2 but he is a better player than I ever was. He has a much better short game than I ever had.
"He's going to the US Open with huge confidence and I can see not only a European winner of that, I can see Europeans fighting it out for the win."
Ian Poulter denied Donald the opportunity of going to the top of the rankings last Sunday by beating him in the final of the Volvo World Match Play in Spain.
And after six holes of play today, Poulter had caught up one stroke on his compatriot and was three under par.
But Donald's biggest challenge could come from Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, who hit a 66 yesterday.
