Donald - hinting at breakthrough. (Getty Images)

The run of majors without a European winner has now extended to 22 - going all the way back to Paul Lawrie's Open victory at Carnoustie in 1999.

But the way Luke Donald finished the Masters last night has given real hope for the future.

The 27-year-old played the last eight holes in six under par with two eagles and two birdies to jump into a share of third place with South African Retief Goosen.

Although he finished seven strokes behind champion Tiger Woods and runner-up Chris DiMarco, only eight Augusta debutants have ever finished higher.

Coupled with his runners-up finish three weeks ago in the Players Championship - golf's unofficial fifth major - Donald has earned over £500,000 on his last two starts.

His year-end goal of a place in the world's top 10 is already close to being achieved.

"That's a great performance - I am very happy with that," said the former Walker Cup star, who was picked for a Ryder Cup debut by Bernhard Langer last September and won twice in the record-breaking victory.

"I think I'll be back next year with confidence high. If we get good weather and I can play when the course is running I think it suits me.

"After I double-bogeyed the 10th the motto was 'never give up.' I chipped in at the 11th, holed from about 20 feet on 13, chipped in at the 15th and on 16 must have been close to a one."

Donald did indeed just miss the ace achieved soon afterwards by Trevor Immelman, but he holed from three feet. And after driving into the trees on the last he chopped out, then struck an eight-iron to seven feet and made it to save par.

Only nine others, including Thomas Bjorn this year, have eagled the 13th and 15th in the same round.

Joint second after an opening 68, Donald had followed up with a desperately disappointing 77, but then came back with two 69s.

"You can always wonder 'what if?', but if someone had given me three rounds in the 60s on my debut I'd have taken it," he stressed.

Donald's next two appearances also count towards the European Order of Merit.

After a week off he goes to China for the Johnnie Walker Classic and BMW Asian Open.

Another debutant, David Howell, earned a place in next year's Masters as well by finishing joint 11th.

Howell, with no previous top-30 finishes in America, and with only three halfway cuts made in nine previous majors, shared top spot with Donald and DiMarco going into the weekend.

He struggled to a third-round 76 playing with Woods, but came back with a 69 as well, a hat-trick of birdies from the 14th taking him into the top 16, ensuring he will be invited back next April.

Howell said: "I'm very pleased - my best finish in America, my best finish in a major. And I'm back next year. Brilliant.

"I feel like I've had a few years of experience in one week."

He sank a bunker shot for an eagle at the second - the only one there all week - and holed what he called an "impossible flop shot" for par on the 10th.

Howell refused to blame the intimidation of Woods for his third-round problems.

"I don't know that what Tiger was doing really affected me - it's better when someone is playing well with you," he commented.

"I said to my caddie that we hadn't had a great day, but what an event to partner Tiger in.

"He is lovely to play with. He plays fantastic golf, but he still hit some poor shots and managed to hit miraculous ones afterwards."