McIlroy set to retake number 1 spot

Rory McIlroy will once again be the world number one golfer when the latest rankings are published later.

He replaces Luke Donald, who finished 37th at the RBC Heritage tournament, won yesterday by Sweden’s Carl Pettersson, where the Englishman needed to finish in the top eight to retain top spot.

The result allowed McIlroy, who took the week off following The Masters, to go back to the top of the pile.

He tweeted: “#1 again without touching a golf club this week.... I wish it was that easy!”

Donald however took the disappointment in his stride.

“Is it a concern? No,” Donald, who finished 16 shots behind Pettersson on two over told Sky Sports.

“Obviously, I’d have liked to have played a bit more consistently this year.

“I built it up nicely last year through tournaments and winning a bunch.”

Donald went round in level par yesterday, bouncing back from a double-bogey six on the first with birdies on the fifth and sixth as he salvaged some respectability with a second successive 71 at Harbour Town.

Pettersson, who led by a shot from American Colt Knost overnight, finished with a two-under-par 69 to end the tournament on 14 under.

That total put him well clear of Zach Johnson of the United States, with Knost a shot further back in third on eight under.

Johnson went round in 70, while Knost saw his hopes of glory ended by a disappointing 74.

The win was Pettersson’s fifth on the PGA Tour.

He said: “Every win is really special. It’s getting harder and harder to win out here.

“But five wins is great. I’m hoping to add to that. I know it’s going to take a lot of effort and hard work and dedication, but I hope I can add to it.”

On his unusual approach to fitness, Pettersson, one of the larger men on tour, added: “Just because you don’t look like an athlete doesn’t mean you’re not an athlete.

“We’re not running marathons here, we’re just walking 18 holes. Maybe some of these guys are overdoing it.”