GOLF:THE NEW world number one Luke Donald banished the memories of his late collapse in the 2010 PGA Championship when he won the European Tour's flagship event for the first time yesterday.

“I lost it by making a double-bogey seven at the 17th last year and losing by one (to fellow Briton) Simon Khan was very disappointing,” Donald said after beating Lee Westwood with a birdie four at the first hole of their Wentworth play-off.

“It was tough to take. Second place is no fun and I am sure Lee is feeling that right now. You feel so close yet so far away.

“Those bad memories from last year are replaced from the good ones I have from today,” said the 33-year-old.

Donald paid tribute to Westwood after knocking his fellow Englishman off the top of the rankings.

“He is a hell of a player and he doesn’t back down,” said Donald. “He was a deserved number one and I knew it would be tough in the play-off.

“I felt a little bit bad for Lee there. He hit a decent shot at the 18th in the play-off, it just had a little bit too much spin on the green and went back into the water.”

Donald said it was already feeling strange to be described as the world number one.

“It’s a little surreal,” he explained. “It’s hard to believe, in a certain way.

“But obviously it’s a special accomplishment and something I will remember forever.

“It’s something that will be a great story when I’m an old man telling my grandkids I was once the best player in the world at golf,” Donald added.

“You keep telling yourself you have the ability and the talent but you never quite really know. Whether it will change me, I don’t think so.

“It doesn’t mean I’m done now. I’ve still got a lot of work to do, hopefully a lot more titles to pick up and I can keep going from strength to strength,” said Donald.

WORLD NUMBER ONES

The following is the list of world number ones since the official rankings were introduced in 1986.

Player Start Weeks

Bernhard Langer (Ger) April 1986 3

Seve Ballesteros(Spa) April 1986 61

Greg Norman (Aus) Sept 1986 331

Nick Faldo (Eng) Sept 1990 97

Ian Woosnam (Wal) April 1991 50

Fred Couples (US) March 1992 16

Nick Price (Zim) August 1994 44

Tom Lehman (US) April 1997 1

Tiger Woods (US) June 1997 623

Ernie Els (Rsa) June 1997 9

David Duval (US) March 1999 15

Vijay Singh (Fij) Sept 200432

Lee Westwood (Eng) Nov 2010 22

Martin Kaymer (Ger) February 2011 8

Luke Donald (Eng) May 2011