Luke Donald enacted the BMW PGA Championship’s version of Groundhog Day when he regained his title and the world number ranking for the second year in succession at a sun-baked Wentworth.
Having taken the rank of world’s top player by beating Lee Westwood in a playoff last year, this time it was rival Justin Rose and Scotland’s fast-finishing Paul Lawrie who had to give best to the unerring consistency of the 34-year-old Englishman, the margin being four shots this time.
Donald shot a final-round 68 for a 15-under total of 273 to take the monster £600,000 in the European Tour’s flagship event for the second year in a row.
He’s only the third player to repeat as winner of the championship following Sir Nick Faldo (1980-81) and Colin Montgomerie (1998-99-2000).
He said: ”I thought last year would be hard to top in going head-to-head with Lee and finally to get to that number oneworld ranking, but it’s pretty special to walk down 18 this year with a four shot lead.
”I’ve never defended a title before and I can’t think of a better one than this one to do it.”
Like the Greenwich Meridian, or Cyprus giving Greece 12 points in Eurovision, you can just be sure of the 34-year-old Englishman, especially around the Wentworth West Course these days.
When in this mood, he’s almost a certainty in a game where nothing seems certain. Even when he stuttered slightly on Sunday with two missed putts on the fourth and fifth holes, giving Justin Rose and Paul Lawrie a brief glimpse of his title, he seemed to be mischeviously toying with us €” but not for long.
Four birdies in seven holes followed and the door slammed shut.’I’m capable of much more’The key moment came at the 10th when Donald holed from outside Rose. His countryman then missed, and the gap was three shots instead of just one.
Donald added: ”The putts of six, seven and 10 were big ones but I was most pleased about my tee shots. I hit some really solid ones out there on the back nine.
”I definitely felt some tension out there, I hit a poor tee shot on the first, again at second and messed up fourth but the finish, five-under for last 14 holes, was everything that I was looking for.”
Donald has now finished third-first-first since Wentworth went through its redesign, but he thinks it’s the difference in him that’s mattered.
”I’m a better player, simple,” he said.
”Since I came back from the wrist injury in 2010, I’m capable of much more.”
To go back to world number one was also hugely satisfying, he added.’A great thing”Donald said: ‘I think to still be number one a year after I first got there is a great thing.
”Obviously Rory and I have swapped the title a few times this year now, but it’s a clear indication that whatever I’m doing is the right thing.”
All that’s missing from his career resume now is a major title, and he plans to put that right over the next few months.
Though he didn’t need the help, it’s likely that Donald was assisted by the decision to soak the greens after Ernie Els’ expletive-filled rant on Saturday.
Els went to the tour office to apologise on Sunday and make a donation to its benevolent fund as recompense, but it was notable that the Wentworth course designer did not admit he had been wrong, and that the sprinkler deluge started as soon as the players got off the course after the third round.
The result was that more receptive greens made it easier to attack, although Paul Lawrie’s 66 was the best performance of the leaders.
It wasn’t easy for everyone, however. The last man to win successive PGA titles, Colin Montgomerie, had a triple, double and five single bogeys in an 81 to finish last.