Donald on top of the world

LUKE DONALD hopes he has answered all the questions about his ability under pressure – even if he has still to win a first major.

First this year he lifted the World Match Play title in Arizona, never trailing in any of his six games. Then he took the world number one spot off Lee Westwood with a play-off victory over him at Wentworth.

He then cruised to a four-shot victory at the Scottish Open with a closing 63, the lowest round of his European Tour career.

Now he has become the first European to top the PGA Tour money list in America by playing the final nine holes of the final event at the Disney World resort in Florida in a dazzling six-under-par 30.

“It’s hard to put into words. The goal was to win. Nothing was really going to be good enough other than that (he trailed Webb Simpson by €263,900). I think this is probably one of the most satisfying wins of my career just because of that. It was kind of do-or-die,” he said.

“Disney is a special place. I suppose if I ever have to bring the children back here at least it’ll have some good memories for me – even if I’m having to wait in all those lines!”

But the best year of Donald’s life is not over yet. After taking time out to wait for the birth of his second daughter due next week, he has events in South Africa, Dubai and Australia. The middle of those on December 8-11 could see him crowned the European Tour’s new number one as well, but with a lead of more than £1m (€1.14m) over Rory McIlroy there might be no need for the heroics he produced this weekend. Nobody has ever topped the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic in the same season, so more history awaits.

Many thought Donald had too much to do when he started the final round of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic in 14th place five shots of the lead.

But then came a stunning six successive birdies, the last of them a stunning 45-foot putt, and three closing pars for a 64 to give him a two-stroke win over Justin Leonard, with Simpson joint sixth when only the runner-up spot would have kept him top of the money list.

“It means a lot to do it when I needed to, to know that under pressure I was able to pull off the shots, to hole the putts and obviously to get ahead of Webb and win this event.” It was his first stroke play success in the States for over 5½ years.