Print
16 April 2012| last updated at 08:44AM

US PGA: Donald surrenders World No. 1 ranking to McIlroy



0 comments

HILTON HEAD ISLAND (South Carolina): England’s Luke Donald will surrender golf’s World No. 1 ranking to Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy today after a poor showing at the US PGA Heritage tournament.

Donald fired a level-par 71 yesterday to finish on two-over par 286 for 72  holes, sharing 37th place, 16 strokes behind winner Carl Pettersson of Sweden.

Donald needed to share eighth place or better this week to keep his  razor-thin margin ahead of McIlroy in the rankings. He finished six strokes  adrift of that mark after matching his highest score in seven Heritage starts.
  

Once eight players reached the clubhouse ahead of him, Donald was ensured  of giving the top spot back to McIlroy, whom he passed last month for the honor.

“Is it a concern? No,” Donald said. “I would have liked to have played a  bit more consistently this year. I built it up nicely last year through  tournaments and winning a bunch.

“As a result there’s a little bit of fluctuation in the world rankings now.”    Donald, still seeking his first major title, first claimed the top ranking  after winning last year’s BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour.

“It’s a lot more the focus the first time around,” Donald said. “Now my  focus is on winning tournaments.”    Reigning US Open champion McIlroy, who turns 23 on May 4, claimed the top  spot for the first time in his young career last month when he won the US PGA  Honda Classic, ending a 40-week run by Donald.

But Donald moved past McIlroy two weeks later, reclaiming the top spot by  winning the US PGA Transitions Championship.

McIlroy, who was off this week, is not expected to play again until the US  PGA Wells Fargo Championship in May at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North  Carolina.

Donald will return to PGA play in two weeks at New Orleans starting April  26. -- AFP
  

Related Articles

Leave Your Comment


Leave Your Comment:

New Straits Times reserves the right not to publish offensive or abusive comments and those of hate speech, harassment, commercial promos and invasion of privacy. Your IP will be logged and may be used to prevent further submission.The views expressed here are that of the members of the public and unless specifically stated are not those of NST.