• World rankings

Majors more important than ranking - Donald

Luke Donald soared up the leaderboard on the final day © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Tiger demands stiffer penalties for slow play
  
• Profile: Luke Donald

Luke Donald has been forced to wait to displace Rory McIlroy as world No. 1, but says winning a first major title remains his top priority.

Donald needed to finish inside the top four at The Players Championship to take back the top ranking but fell agonisingly short after his final-round 66. The Englishman, though, insists the upcoming US Open is his goal after he ended the Players tournament in sixth place.

"It's been a good old tennis match between Rory and I recently," Donald said. "I was very nervous when I had opportunities to get to No. 1, when it was really playing on my mind.

"But with going back and forward so many times it doesn't mean that much any more. Don't get me wrong, being No. 1 is nice but at this stage of my career I am still searching to win majors and that's much more important."

Donald's next opportunity to claim a major will come in San Francisco in June as he looks to claim victory at the US Open - the title which McIlroy won in convincing fashion in 2011.

Meanwhile, Paul Casey has pulled out of the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain, which starts on Thursday. Casey suffered a recurrence of shoulder trouble at the Players and withdrew on the 10th hole of the first round.

"Unfortunately, despite having had intensive treatment since last Thursday, I have been advised not to play in the Volvo World Match Play Championship," Casey said in a statement.

"I am absolutely gutted as it is one of my favourite events and I was really looking forward to a week of match play to kick-start my season. I am very sorry to miss out, especially as Volvo were kind enough to give me an invite."

In the world rankings, Players victor Matt Kuchar moves to No. 5 after the biggest win of his career - while 23-year-old Rickie Fowler is inside the top 20 for the first time in his career after finishing in a four-way tie for second.

World Rankings: 1. Rory McIlroy (NIR), 2. Luke Donald (ENG), 3. Lee Westwood (ENG), 4. Bubba Watson (USA), 5. Matt Kuchar (USA) 6. Hunter Mahan (USA), 7. Tiger Woods (USA), 8. Steve Stricker (USA), 9. Martin Kaymer (GER), 10. Phil Mickelson (USA), 11. Webb Simpson (USA), 12. Justin Rose (ENG), 13. Adam Scott (AUS), 14. Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), 15. Charl Schwartzel (RSA), 16. Jason Day (AUS), 17. Dustin Johnson (USA), 18. Rickie Fowler (USA), 19. Bill Haas (USA), 20. Graeme McDowell (NIR)

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.