Donald wins WGC Match Play final

The 33-year-old Donald had not won in the United States since 2006
England's Luke Donald defeated new world number one Martin Kaymer 3&2 to win the WGC Match Play in Arizona.

Donald's victory landed him £864,838 and means he jumps six places to number three in the world rankings.

Donald, 33, birdied the second and was three up after five, before Kaymer got back to level at the halfway stage.

However, Donald, who did not trail in any of his matches all week, birdied the 11th, 12th and 15th and closed out the match at the par-three 16th.

It is the Englishman's sixth professional title and his first in an elite World Golf Championships event.

I can't describe it - I'm close to tears. I've put a lot of work in over the last five years and it's nice to see it pay off

Donald won three of the first five holes, but Kaymer took the short sixth with a par, the long eighth with a birdie and then the 476-yard ninth with a bogey five when Donald came up short in the desert scrub and took a seven.

In danger of going behind for the first time in any of his six games, Donald did well to save a half on the 10th after finding more trouble and then edged in front again when he holed from nine feet on the next and Kaymer missed from six.

The gap doubled when the German failed to get up and down from sand at the 12th and Kaymer looked resigned to defeat when he missed a three-footer to lose the 15th.

With Kaymer first, Lee Westwood down to second and Graeme McDowell fourth, Europe holds the top four spots in the world rankings for the first time since 1992, when Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal and Seve Ballesteros were riding high.

Donald's victory follows fellow Englishman Ian Poulter's defeat of compatriot Paul Casey in 2010.

Donald said: "I can't describe it - I'm close to tears. 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."

Kaymer was attempting to make it five wins in his last 11 starts, a run that began with his first major title at the US PGA championship last August.

In the all-American third-place play-off, Matt Kuchar beat Bubba Watson 2&1.

A.nemdil & Press Agencies