Donald is No1 after victory at Wentworth
ENGLAND’S Luke Donald jumped back to the top of golf’s world rankings yesterday evening after successfully defending his BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Donald kept his nerve to hold off a challenge from compatriot Justin Rose, finishing 15 under par, while Rose and Scotland’s Paul Lawrie finished the course 11 under par.
“To defend and get back to No1 is very sweet indeed,” said Donald, before tweeting that it felt “pretty special” to become only the third ever player to defend the PGA title.
He overtakes Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy at the head of the rankings, the fourth time in his career that he has reached the top.
Donald’s lead was in doubt early on as Rose drew level on 10 under at the fourth. But the lead was retained as Donald kept his cool to sink birdies at both the sixth and seventh, before making up more ground with a sublime long putt for another birdie at the 10th.
At the 16th Donald essentially killed off the contest with another birdie, calming rolling in from nine feet while Rose’s ball instead found its way into a bunker.
Lawrie then birdied the final two holes to secure a morale-boosting equal second place.
“I want to win Majors,” the victorious Donald added after his fourth round. “Every time I win a tournament like this it tells me that I am getting closer.”