Late birdie run gives Donald US money title

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – World No. 1 Luke Donald began the back nine with six birdies to win the US PGA’s season-ending event on Sunday and capture the American money title in his quest for a historic double.

Donald, trying to become the first golfer with US and European money titles in the same year, fired a final-round eight-under par 64 to finish 72 holes on 17-under 271 at the $4.7 million Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.

The 33-year-old Englishman, who began the day five strokes adrift, had a two-shot edge after his stunning birdie streak, which was capped with an astounding 45-footer at the par-3 15th to serve notice he would not be denied.

“I timed it pretty well to do that when everything was on the line,” Donald said. “Hadn’t really gotten on a run all week. What better time to do it than the back nine on Sunday? It’s nice to be able to do it under pressure.”

Donald was forced to wait for three hopefuls in the last groups to finish to secure a victory and the money crown.

US rookie Kevin Chappell made bogey at 16 to falter, Australian Nick O’Hern took bogey at 17 to stumble and 1997 British Open champion Justin Leonard, missed his bid at eagle from the 18th fairway to ensure Donald’s triumph.

“I’m thrilled,” Donald said. “I was able to hit some good shots, made some putts when I needed to. It wasn’t as easy as it looks.”

The British star beat US veteran Leonard by two shots with Chappell, fellow American Tom Pernice and South Korean Sunghoon Kang sharing third on 274. Kang and Pernice barely kept their US tour status for 2012 with the results.

In the end, Donald took the $846,000 top prize to finish on $6,683,214 and defeat American Webb Simpson by $335,861.

Donald leads second-place Rory McIlroy in the European Order of Merit by 1.6 million euros with six weeks remaining. Donald had been atop the US list until Simpson passed him last week.

Simpson, who played alongside Donald all four rounds in a head-to-head duel, finished with a 69 to stand on 275, sharing sixth. Simpson would have had to finish alone in second to deny him the title.

Donald likely secured the PGA Player of the Year title awarded in a vote of players.

“I answered a lot of critics’ questions about me today,” Donald said.

The only other time one player overtook another in the final event to win the US PGA money title was in 1996 when Tom Lehman passed Phil Mickelson for the crown.

Donald’s only prior US triumph in 2011 came at the World Golf Championships Match-Play Championship. His only other American titles were at the 2006 Honda Classic and 2002 Southern Farm Bureau Classic.

Donald’s season has also included two European Tour triumphs, the BMW PGA Championship and the Scottish Open.

With wife Diane due to give birth in just over two weeks, Donald accepted Simpson’s challenge for the US crown but began the last round five strokes off the lead, only to charge from behind with a stunning performance.

Donald opened with back-to-back birdies from four feet at the first and six feet at the second. After stumbling back with a bogey on the fifth, he birdied the par-3 sixth and par-4 seventh to reach 12-under.

Donald fell back with a bogey at the par-5 eighth, finding a fairway bunker from the right rough and missing a 23-foot par putt, falling four adrift.

“I thought my chances might have gone then,” Donald said. “I didn’t play the par-5s very well this week. After the eighth hole it wasn’t looking good.”

But the drama was only starting.

Simpson birdied four holes in a row finishing at the 10th hole to reach 14-under, only to have Donald answer with six birdies in a row starting at 10.

“I fought hard, made a nice stretch of birdies in the middle,” Simpson said. “He made six birdies in a row. I didn’t expect that. That’s just the way it goes.”

Donald birdied the par-5 10th, sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-4 11th and dropped a five-foot birdie putt at the par-3 12th to reach 14-under, matching Simpson for second.

At the par-4 13th, Simpson lipped out on a six-foot birdie putt and Donald then sank a five-foot birdie putt to seize a share of the lead.

On the par-5 14th, Simpson missed a 22-foot birdie attempt slightly right of the hole but gave a perfect read on the putt to Donald, who followed with an 18-foot birdie putt to grab a one-shot lead over Leonard.

Donald capped the run on 15 with his 45-foot birdie. The streak ended at the 16th when he came up short from 35 feet, but his par and two that followed were enough to keep his rivals at bay.