Luke Donald has finished fifth and second in the last two Scottish Opens, but he revealed today he could decide to by-pass Loch Lomond in the future.

What matters most to Britain's top-ranked player is success in the majors and he said: "If I don't have a good Open Championship next week I might have to consider something different."

World number nine Donald has played in the Open seven times and has yet to post a top-30 finish. He missed the halfway cut in the first five of them, was 52nd at St Andrews two years ago and then 35th at Hoylake last summer.

What Donald would like to happen is for Loch Lomond to be a week earlier in the schedule so that he could then go and play seaside golf in preparation for the Open, but a new six-year deal was signed with sponsors Barclay in February for the event to remain in its present slot on the schedule.

And who can blame them? Whereas the European Open last week had a mere four of last year's Ryder Cup team and US Open champion Angel Cabrera as their headline acts this week has seven of the world's top 20 in Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia, Donald, Cabrera and Trevor Immelman.

Next week's championship is back on the Carnoustie links where Donald made his major debut as an amateur in 1999.

"I was eight over for the last four holes on Thursday and Friday and missed the cut by two," he recalls. "But I did play with the eventual winner." Paul Lawrie, of course.