Donald: Major win would silence critics
10:56, 28 May 2012
Luke Donald sits proudly at the top of world golf again - but he still believes he has critics to silence.
Donald's successful defence of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth yesterday was his sixth victory in the last 15 months.
He is still not a Major winner, though, and he said: "Obviously winning one would satisfy some of my critics.
"But personally the goal is to win more than one. I feel like I have that ability and hopefully that will happen.
"It's putting four rounds together like I did this week."
The 34-year-old was the only player to have all his rounds in the sixties as he retained the European Tour's flagship event by four strokes from Justin Rose and Paul Lawrie.
Donald now heads back to America for this week's Memorial tournament in Ohio, with Rory McIlroy among the opposition again and desperate to hit back from two successive missed cuts.
Then comes the US Open, starting two weeks on Thursday. McIlroy is the defending champion at the Olympic Club in San Francisco and still the bookmakers' favourite, but Donald is the one with the momentum right now.
"I feel that when I'm playing well I'm hard to beat," Donald said.
"But I think there are 20-25 guys who would say that.
"I take a great amount of satisfaction from this. It means I am doing the right things - the hard work is paying off and I have a great team around me.
"Every time I win it adds to my confidence and these victories are key to bringing that confidence into the majors."
This was his first retention of a title and he added: "What a great one to do it at. This is our biggest event on the European Tour.
"To come and defend and get back to number one is very sweet indeed."
This is his fourth spell as world number one. The first lasted over nine months, but in the last three months he and McIlroy have changed places six times.
Even though they trailed in his wake Rose and Lawrie could take a lot out of their performances too.
Rose, who caught Donald early in the final round but simply could not then match his all round brilliance, moves up from 10th to sixth in the world, equalling his highest ever position, and is top of the European money list.
"Luke certainly played like a champion. He made the putts when he had to and didn't miss a shot down the stretch," Rose said.
"You don't want to lay down and let him have it too easy, but when you end up making mistakes it does get a little frustrating."
Lawrie is now second in the Ryder Cup points race and at 43 poised to return to the side an amazing 13 years after his only previous appearance.
The Scot, also back into the world's top 30 only 14 months after being 272nd, could have secured his cup place at the US Open, but is the one exempt player not to enter because he believes staying in Europe is his best way into the team.
"I made the decision a long time ago that it was better for my schedule," he said after a best-of-the-day 66 yesterday.
"I knew some people wouldn't like it, but it's the best for me."