• Transitions Championship, Round Four

Donald takes world No. 1 back from McIlroy

Luke Donald enjoyed a narrow win in Florida © Getty Images

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Luke Donald launched an assault on Rory McIlroy's world No. 1 status on Sunday, snatching back his place as the game's top player by winning the Transitions Championship in a four-man play-off.

Donald had the chance to regain his place at the top of the world rankings, but only if he won in Florida, and the Briton did so in dramatic circumstances. A score of 13-under was good enough to take him into a four-way play-off with Sang-Moon Bae, Jim Furyk and Robert Garrigus, at which point he allowed his exceptional iron play to do the talking as he clinched victory on the first play-off hole.

For Bae it was his first play-off on the PGA Tour, whilst all three other men carried losing play-off records into the shootout. The quartet returned to the par-four 18th for the opening play-off hole, and it was Garrigus who produced a monster 313-yard drive.

By contrast Donald was the only man to find the rough, but his second shot was quite magical as he sent his approach to within seven feet of the hole. Garrigus then attacked the pin to give himself his own seven-footer for birdie, but when the American missed, Donald rolled his effort into the middle of the hole for a hugely significant victory. Furyk (from 42 feet) and Bae (from 19 feet) had already nudged their efforts wide.

Donald had earlier come close to winning the event in regulation play despite beginning the day three strokes off the leaders, producing a flawless performance through the first ten holes to move within one shot of then-leader Furyk. Playing on a course that rewards accuracy, it was Donald's putting that was firing his challenge, requiring just 12 swings of the short stick for four birdies through ten.

A further birdie at the 11th meant he entered the final three holes just one shot adrift of new leader Ernie Els, who was flying on 14-under. A string of pars did not look enough for Donald, but he was elevated into a play-off when Els bogeyed his final two holes for a four-under 67 that denied him a 19th PGA Tour title.

Scott Piercy, one of the day's earliest starters, gave himself an unlikely chance of victory when he produced the round of the day, firing a nine-under 62 to move to 12-under. Piercy's round, which ignited with seven birdies in the opening nine holes, placed him second at the completion of his campaign, but he eventually dropped down to a still-respectable tie for fifth.

Justin Rose, winner of last week's WGC-Cadillac Championship, failed to place himself in a position to challenge on Sunday, which proved a shame as he finished with a flourish. Rose's best putting performance of the week led to a round of 66, which was only enough to lift him to six-under.

Padraig Harrington was one stroke better off, signing for a third 70+ round in order to complete a disappointing week. Having fired a course-record 61 on Thursday, Harrington went 73, 72, 71 over his remaining 54 holes to finish on seven-under.

Elsewhere, Sergio Garcia settled on eight-under thanks to a closing 70, while England's Greg Owen spoiled a promising week with a three-over 74 to fall back to one-under.

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