Luke Donald won the Madrid Masters on Sunday to end a four-year title drought and erase last week’s disappointment when he blew the PGA Championship with a double bogey on the penultimate hole.
Donald won with a closing round of 67 for a 21-under par total of 267 to beat Welshman Rhys Davies by one shot.
The pair were level with three to play before Donald struck the decisive blow with an eagle — his third of the week — on the 16th.
The win lifts the Briton from 13th to ninth in the world — and to fourth in the points race for the Ryder Cup, knocking Padraig Harrington out of the top nine who earn an automatic spot.
The last time Donald tasted victory was in the Honda Classic in America in March, 2006, with his last success in Europe coming in Switzerland in September, 2004.
“It’s been a while since I won and to put last week behind me makes me very proud,” Donald said. “The way I played today means a lot to me. The eagle was huge because Rhys put a lot of pressure on me.”
“It’s happiness and relief — definitely some relief,” he said.
Davies, 25, already a winner this season, said: “It didn’t quite come off, but I’ve got lots to be pleased about.”
“I was chasing the win and I just came up short unfortunately. On the 16th I thought I might keep the momentum [he had just birdied the 15th to level], but he threw in an eagle to be fair to him,” Davies said.
Italian Francesco Molinari, who had also produced an eagle at the 16th before Donald and Davies arrived at the hole, came in third on 18 under, with Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell a further shot back in fourth.
His 65 was one outside the course record equaled by Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara earlier in the day.
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