Lee Westwood has regained his World No. 1 position after fellow Englishman Luke Donald lost out in a play-off for the Heritage Classic in South Carolina.
Lee Westwood back to World No. 1 when he walks onto the first tee at this week's Ballantine's Championship.
Westwood won the inaugural Indonesian Masters by three shots earlier in the day but then faced an anxious wait for the outcome of the PGA Tour event at Hilton Head.
Donald went into the last round leading but didn’t count on American Brandt Snedeker shooting a 64 on the Harbour Town course to grab the clubhouse lead on 12-under par.
The World No. 3 ranked Donald then could only manage a 70.
Both players birdied the first extra hole, the par four 18th and then managed to save par at the par three 17th.
However Donald was in a greenside bunker at the 18th for the third extra hole but with his ball buried.
He then got a flyer that went through the green leaving him a 22-yard chip shot for par to save the match.
Unfortunately for the reigning WGC – Accenture Match Play champion, Donald’s attempt lipped out thereby handing the $1m prize cheque to the American.
It means Donald remaining at No. 3 in the world behind Westwood and Martin Kaymer who has dropped to No. 2.
Westwood first moved to World No. 1 last November but then saw Kaymer take over the reins on the occasion of the semi final round in the Accenture Match-Play Championship on February 26th.
And Westwood’s return to World No. 1 is also a double celebration for the Worksop player who today celebrated his 38th birthday.
He now heads to this week’s Ballantine’s Championship in Seoul, Korea to join an impressive array of stars including the likes of Ian Poulter, K J Choi, Y E Yang, Dustin Johnson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and triple Major winning Ernie Els.
“I’m delighted to be competing in this week’s Ballantine’s Championship as World Number One,” he said.
“Getting back to the top of the rankings was a extra nice birthday present on top of my win in Indonesia.
“But well done to Luke for going so close in the States as it certainly produced a lot of interest in the rankings what with the chance of two Englishman being One and Two for the first time in the history of the rankings.”
Donald will head to New Orleans where he joins Graeme McDowell in this week’s Zurich Classic where he’ll again be striving to become No. 1.
“Getting to No. 1 would have been nice cut it is not the final goal,” he said.
“You’re constantly moving forward in this game and to be No. 1 would be great, but it’s not everything.
“It certainly would be a tick in the box and it would be something great to talk to the grandkids in 30 years’ time and be able tosay them that you were the best in the world, but I still have a lot of chances to do that.”
