Donald BMW Win Reclaims Top Spot

Luke Donald regained top spot in the world rankings in emphatic fashion with a four-shot victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The reigning champion fired a final round of 68 to finish well clear of compatriot Justin Rose and Scotsman Paul Lawrie and retain his title.

The Englishman's sixth victory in the last 15 months also moves him back above Rory McIlroy, who had missed the cut by no less than eight shots on Friday, in the rankings.

Resuming his final round with a two-shot lead, Donald found himself joined at the top of the leaderboard by Rose just four holes into Sunday's play.

However, the 34-year-old put his foot on the accelerator to go clear once more, producing back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh.

Once he had gone three clear with a 25-foot putt at the short 10th, Donald never looked like being caught again. He picked up further shots at the 12th and 15th to take the first prize of almost £600,000 on 15 under par.

"To come and defend and get back to number one is very sweet indeed," Donald said afterwards.

"I was just trying to keep my head down and plug away. I was swinging well and I've putted well all week.

"I just needed to settle down a bit. This is a big week and I felt some of the pressure.

"After the fourth I didn't give him (Rose) another hole where he was teeing

off first other than the 18th. I got the job done.

"I take a great amount of satisfaction. It means I am doing the right things - the hard work is paying off and I have a great team around me."

It was all a far cry from 2011 at the same venue when a play-off was required to see off the challenge of Lee Westwood, with that victory seeing him also take over as world No.1 from the man he had beaten to the title.

Now Donald heads to American soil, playing in the Memorial tournament in Ohio next week as he builds up towards the US Open in San Francisco on June 14-17.

Rose missed a plethora of birdie chances to put pressure on his countryman and ended up signing for a 70, leaving him in a share for second place with Paul Lawrie (66). 

Peter Lawrie finished alone in fourth on eight under.

Lawrie Drives Home Fourth at BMW

A triple bogey on the seventh for Peter Lawrie on Sunday at the BMW PGA Championship was the worst error in an aggregate score of 280, which saw the Dubliner lead the event on the first two days – the flagship tournament for the European Tour. 

Then a remarkable double birdie finish, as he played in the second last group, secured fourth place outright, just three strokes behind his namesake Peter, and England’ Justin Rose – a winner already this season on the PGA Tour. 

With an opening round of 66 on Thursday, including an eagle on the par five 4th, signalled his intent early doors. In typically steady, the Dubliner did not relent throughout even when paired with world number 2, Luke Donald. 

In the end the title was not to be his on this occasion after the mishap before the turn. But his comeback on the back nine gave him a one under par 71 finish – to round off the weekends work with a payday of €225,00. In what has been so far a quiet season with only two top twenty finishes  – at The Sicilian Open and at Reale Seguros Open de España. 

Lawrie is now 38th in the Race to Dubai rankings. 

Peter claimed his maiden European Tour victory at the Open de España in 2008, defeating home favourite Ignacio Garrido in a play-off. Enjoyed a fine performance as defending champion in 2009, finishing tied third. 

he made history at the end of the 2003 season when he became the first Irish golfer to win the prestigious Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award. 

Educated at the University College Dublin where he undertook a golf scholarship, Peter graduated to The European Tour through the European Challenge Tour, finishing fourth in the Rankings at the end of 2002. All helped by a superb victory in the Challenge Tour Grand Final. 

His elevation to The European Tour was testament to his determination, having spent one year on the Asian Tour and three seasons on the Challenge Tour before achieving his goal. 

Peter was capped at boys, youths and national level for Ireland as an amateur. In his early days as a professional, he played in Asia and Florida, gaining a ‘Mini Tour’ victory in America’s Sunshine State.

BMW PGA Championship Result

Higgins Could Add Wales Open to Plans

David Higgins has ended a magnificent performance at the BMW PGA Championship on a sun kissed Wentworth Course, with a two under par 70, and slaying a tough West Course that over the past four days has taken a number of high profile Irish casualties.

None less than the most recent World Number One, Rory McIlroy, the current Open Champion Darren Clarke, the 2010 US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell and three time major winner Padraig Harrington - along with  a string of other illustrious names.

Amidst all that carnage Higgins exuded composure travelling around Wentworth with a remarkable consistency  - that suggests there is more to come - and carding three rounds of 70, with the one blip on a windy Saturday when reaching the historic gothic clubhouse in a two over par 74

In his third consecutive appearance at the BMW PGA Championship Higgins slayed his own demons on Sunday, conscious of his chase to clinch a vital tenth place - and eligible for an automatic invite to next week's Wales Open at The Celtic Manor.

A task easier said than done, and one filled with memories of two bad outings no doubt on the West Course in 2011 and 2010 when he missed the cut - and by double digits. 


On Sunday though the likable Kerry man proved  a few things to himself and no doubt to many others too.

Armed with a textbook swing, Higgins has been convinced that he has unfinished business on the European Tour, a place he departed from when he lost his automatic playing rights in 2008. Albeit he qualified for the Open Championship at Turnberry in 2009, Higgins has seen limited Tour Event - starts beyond his regular domination of the Irish PGA region order of merit.

A number of visits to Tour School over the past number of years have also proved fruitless, along with some disappointing outings at the Irish Open in Killarney. All enough perhaps to kill the desire of some. But not for David Higgins, who now can make more travel plans with his cheque for €78,300 in his back pocket, as a bonus.

An achievement  that deserves recognition.