Donald Dusts off Drought in the Desert

Luke Donald defeated new world number one Martin Kaymer 3&2 in the final of the WGC Match Play in Arizona.

In another all European final the Englishman sealed victory on the par 3 16th to jump six places in the rankings to third making the top four positions all European players the first time since 1992.

It was a win-win situation for German, Kaymer who had already overtaken Lee Westwood to world number one by making the final after Westwood’s early exit but made a slow start in the chilly desert.

Donald, 33, who had played some scintillating golf all week and had never been down in any of his matches was three up after five holes before being pegged back by Kaymer at the halfway stage.

But birdies and the 11th, 12th and 15th allowed Donald to close out the match at the 16th and collected his sixth and biggest win of his career.

"I can't describe it - I'm close to tears," said the Englishman, who also won the Madrid Masters last year. "It feels amazing.

I've put a lot of work in over the last five years and it's nice to see it pay off.

"You always have doubts and the wheels were coming off a bit, so the up-and-down on the 10th was huge and to have three birdies in the last six holes was special.

"Hopefully it will open the gates. I'm not a modern-day player because I don't hit it that far and that makes it harder for me, but this is great win and I hope there are more to come."

Donald also conceded that his five year drought of not winning in the UShad started to become a concern:

"It certainly bothered me.

"My goal every year is to win tournaments. It's a long time since I've tried to play for money, you know.

"My first couple of years, maybe, as a rookie, you think about making your Tour card and making cuts and making enough money to play the next year. But it's been a long time since that."

The win makes it successive years an Englishman has held the trophy after Ian Poulter’s win last year.