At the 2013 U.S. Open held at Merion Golf Club, Donald was only two shots behind leader Phil Mickelson entering the final round after shooting rounds of 68, 72 and 71. Donald then shot a final round of 75 (+5) to finish in a tie for eighth, recording the first top 10-finish of his career in a U.S. Open tournament. Donald missed the halfway cut at both the 2013 Open Championship and 2013 PGA Championship, marking the first time in his career that he missed cuts at consecutive majors in a single year. In November 2013, Donald defended his title at the Dunlop Phoenix on the Japan Golf Tour, cruising to a six shot victory over the field. This was his first win of the 2013 season.