Donald claims place in top-10

US TOUR: England's Luke Donald claimed a place in the world's top-10 for the first time when he won the Honda Classic in Florida last night.

Trying to become the third European winner of the event in six years - Jesper Parnevik triumphed in 2001 and Padraig Harrington 12 months ago - Donald birdied the final hole for a two shots win over World Matchplay champion Geoff Ogilvy with David Toms and Billy Mayfair sharing third place.

Needing to win to climb from 12th to 10th in the world rankings, Donald resumed on nine under par with American Billy Mayfair and made the perfect start when he hit a 111-yard pitch to seven feet on the first and made the birdie putt.

As the lead changed hands a number of times Donald birdied the fourth but then dropped shots at the seventh and 10th as Ogilvy took over at the top.

Birdies at the 13th and 14th put Donald back in the driving seat though Australian Ogilvy was still in touch after a birdie at the 16th.

However, Donald made sure when he hit his second shot at the last to three feet for another birdie.

Padraig Harrington added a second successive 74 to finish well down the field at two-under-par 286.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Local favourite Mardan Mamat struggled to contain his emotions after winning the Singapore Masters yesterday, but fought back the tears long enough to say he was looking forward to playing in Europe.

Mardan held his nerve down the back nine for a one-stroke victory over defending champion Nick Dougherty at the co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour event, becoming the first Singaporean to triumph in a tour event on home soil.

An opening 65 on the par-72 Laguna National Golf and Country Club helped pave the way for victory, and he followed that with solid rounds of 70, 70 and 71 to take the title with a 12-under 276 total.

David Higgins and Michael Hoey finished on three-over-par 291 while Peter Lawrie also faded over the closing rounds to finish well off the pace on five-over-par 293.

CHALLENGE TOUR: Johan Axgren of Sweden secured the second European Challenge Tour victory of his remarkable 2006 season at the Tusker Kenya Open, securing the top prize of €25,600 that sent him soaring to the top of the Challenge Tour Rankings.

Axgren began the final round at the Karen Golf Club with a three-shot lead and ended the day four shots clear of the English duo of James Hepworth and Gary Lockerbie, who shared second place. Axgren final round of 70 left him on a 10-under-par total of 270.

LPGA TOUR: Annika Sorenstam recorded her third season opener in a row when she successfully defended her Mastercard title in Mexico City yesterday.

The world number one shot a final round 70 for an eight-under-par total of 208 to hold off the fast finishing Helen Alfredsson and Korea's Seon Hwa Lee by just one shot.