Luke Donald on top of world after retaining title By Martin Dempster Published on Monday 28 May 2012 13:35 LUKE Donald likes to do things in style. Last season, he won in Disneyworld to become the first player to top the money-list on both sides of the Atlantic. Yesterday at Wentworth he become world No 1 once more, joining Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie as the only players to make a successful defence of the BMW PGA Championship in the process. Even when another Englishman, James Morrison, held a four-shot lead at the halfway stage, Donald still looked well in the hunt, and so it proved. A closing four-under-par 68 - to go with earlier efforts of 68, 68 and 69 - gave the 34-year-old a 15-under total of 273 and a richly-deserved place in the record books alongside two of European golf's legendary figures. Twelve months ago, Donald had to shake off Lee Westwood in a play-off to claim his West Course win. This time he won at a relative canter, finishing four shots ahead of Paul Lawrie and Justin Rose as they closed with salvos of 66 and 70 respectively on another glorious sunny day in the heart of the Surrey stockbroker belt. Both knew they were battling for second as early as the turn on the last lap. "To come and defend and get back to No 1 is very sweet indeed," said Donald, who claimed the mantle with his victory a year ago and had held on to it until March, since when the baton has been passed between him and Rory McIlroy. Only a top-eight finish was required here for Donald to become top dog again and that was pretty much the biggest certainty of the year after he'd moved two shots clear of the field on Saturday night. Rose, who was leading the chasing pack, had caught Donald after just four holes, a combination of back-to-back birdies from the former at the third and fourth and the latter taking 6 at the fourth, where he was uncharacteristically untidy close to the green and signed for a 6. But that was to prove a blip rather than the start of a Donald collapse. He may not be flashy but Donald certainly has a knack of being able to put his foot on the accelerator when he needs to. Back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh gave him breathing space again. Then he rolled in a 25-footer for a 2 at the short tenth. Another birdie followed at the 12th and it was already game over when a 3 went down on the card at the 16th. It was his sixth victory in 15 months but first of the season. It was worth almost £600,000 and is a timely boost for Donald heading into the second major of the year, the US Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco in just over a fortnight's time. "I was just trying to keep my head down and plug away," added Donald when asked about being caught by Rose early on. I was swinging well and I've putted well all week. I just needed to settle down. 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. The task for that team now is to try and make sure Donald gives a better account of himself in both the US Open and the Open Championship this year than he did last season. He finished 45th at Congressional as McIlroy romped to an eight-shot victory then missed the cut at Royal St George's despite being widely tipped to get his hands on the Claret Jug in Kent. "Obviously win majors," he replied last night when asked what was next on his wish list. I feel I am getting closer. Every time I win it adds to my confidence. These victories are key to bringing that confidence into the majors. The event had been dubbed the "Duel on the West" by organisers and another massive last-day crowd turned up hoping to see a contest between Donald and Rose to rival the infamous "Duel in the Sun" involving Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry in 1977. That never materialised due to Donald producing another of those performances when he appeared to make the Royal & Ancient game easy. "I felt some tension," he said. It's not easy going out there with the lead and trying to close a tournament out, but I am a better player now than I was before my wrist injury in 2009. Rose, who missed a chance from no more than four feet at the last which would have seen him finish in second on his own - though that would have been harsh on Lawrie after his stunning six-under-par performance - said when asked what had proved the difference between the two players in the final group: "Luke's putter. He buried a lot of putts in the middle of the round and there were no loose shots coming down the stretch. Ernie Els, who started the day alongside Lawrie in joint-fourth but slipped to a tie for seventh after a closing 72, yesterday issued an apology to the European Tour's chief executive, George O'Grady, for his foul-mouthed rant on Saturday night about the course being too dry. The South African, who re-designed the course, was livid that his advice about keeping the greens receptive in the hot and dry conditions appeared to have been ignored, but decided his criticism had been over the top. "Ernie Els asked to see me this morning and apologised for his intemperate language following the conclusion of his round yesterday," said O'Grady in a statement. He stated that he had already apologised to all the individuals concerned and offered a substantial donation to the European Tour Benevolent Trust, which I accepted. The European Tour now consider this matter closed. This was the first time Donald had successfully defended a title. Don't be surprised if he achieves the feat again at Castle Stuart in the Scottish Open in a few weeks" time.