Donald reclaims number one spot

19 March 2012 15:57

England's Luke Donald has regained the world number one mantle, after winning the Transitions Championship on Sunday in a four-way playoff.

Donald clinched the crown after beating Robert Garrigus, Sang-Moon Bae and Jim Furyk in the decider, after the quartet were tied on 13-under par through 72 holes at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Donald shot his best round for the tournament on Sunday, going bogey-free in his final-round five-under 66 to regain golf's number one ranking from Rory McIlroy just two weeks after he relinquished it to the Northern Irishman.

Garrigus went seven under for his final round, which included an eagle three on the fifth hole, but his par in the playoff was not enough to force another playoff hole after Donald's birdie.

Neither Bae nor Furyk could match Donald's clutch 18th hole at the first attempt, after the South Korean shot three-under 68 on Sunday, while American Furyk signed off on two-under 69.

There was a four-way tie for fifth at the PGA Tour event, with Scott Piercy, Jeff Overton, Ernie Els and Ken Duke all a shot back from the playoff group.

Piercy was the pick of the bunch, as he bettered his Saturday round by an astonishing 11 shots, to sign off on a bogey-free nine-under 62.

Bo Van Pelt was outright ninth on 11 under overall, two shots behind Donald, while Americans Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson, Kevin Streelman and Jason Dufner were all a further shot back on 10 under in a tie for 10th.

South Korean Charlie Wi had the dishonour of finishing last of those that made the cut, after he shot eight over on the fifth hole alone, requiring 13 strokes from tee to hole.