NIGHTMARE! Luke Donald PUTTS his ball into a bunker...then it got worse!

Avert your eyes, for Luke Donald did something inexplicable during the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. 

Donald began his week in sizzling form. Some suggested the Englishman was rolling back the years to the time he became World No. 1. 

He held the lead at Yas Links after the first round and was fielding ridiculous questions about potentially picking himself for the 2023 Ryder Cup. 

Well, dear reader, he can put those ideas to bed if he continues playing like this. This is the stuff of nightmares. This will make you dry heave.  

In fairness to Donald, it was an absolute miscue. And what faced him was a very tricky situation. Perhaps he should have chipped this?

Donald's had already played an absolute beauty when he chipped one close when he was on the dancefloor. He even took the flag out. 

Tyrrell Hatton - who took centre stage in this hilarious spoof video - did the same and holed his chip then carefully repaired the damage. 

Only a #GolfPsycho would try this #ADGolfChamps | #RolexSeries | @TyrrellHatton pic.twitter.com/VQ6Ygn9eLX

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 21, 2023

So what happened to Donald?

Donald unravelled on the par-3 17th at Yas Links. His tee shot came to rest some 30 yards short of the flag and his ball settled on a tiny patch of fairway on the upslope of the green. 

The Ryder Cup Europe captain elected to putt and, according to Shot Tracker, he was 90-feet away from the pin.  

The broadcasters teed up the moment nicely by saying how tricky it was, adding: "But we know how good he is on those shots." 

They discussed whether or not Donald should chip it. 

Donald's ball then duly raced off the green and into the bunker, leaving him 36 feet away. Ouch. 

The commentator said: 

From there, Donald's misery was compounded when he failed to get out of the sand. Then he took two more putts on his way to a triple bogey. 

He started the hole T-3 then tumbled all the way down the leaderboard in a tie for 22nd. Imagine falling 19 spots!

This game, man. 

WATCH DONALD'S CATASTROPHE HERE:

The @RyderCupEurope captain is playing some golf but this is less than ideal. Still could 1 putt technically. pic.twitter.com/lN0d9OT7Dr

— West Texas Driving Range Pro (@jjkilleentcu) January 20, 2023

Shane Lowry and Min Woo Lee shared the lead after the third round at the Rolex Series event, although they were being chased by 51-year-old Padraig Harrington. 

Next page: Money has "side-tracked" us, says Lowry