Donald 's top spot in May

Luke Donald has been named The 2011 Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Month for May following an astonishing sequence of success culminating with a victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club with which he claimed the Number One position in the Official World Golf Ranking. Donald, who receives an engraved alms dish and a jeroboam of Moët & Chandon champagne, finished tied fourth in the Players Championship on the US PGA Tour and runner-up in the Volvo World Match Play Championship before leading from start to finish, following an opening 64, to claim the BMW PGA Championship – The European Tour’s flagship tournament – and the €750,000first prize. In winning on the West Course with a birdie four at the first extra hole of a play-off against Lee Westwood, Donald claimed his second win on The 2011 European Tour International Schedule – he captured the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February – and strengthened his position at the top of The Race to Dubai with €2,581,495. Ian Poulter, who won the Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin by beating Donald 2 and 1 in the final, Thomas Aiken (Open de España), Darren Clarke (Iberdrola Open) and Michael Hoey (Madeira Islands Open) were other winners during another remarkable month which closed with Westwood and Donald duelling over 73 holes for World Number One honours and seven of the top ten in the Official World Golf Ranking being European Tour Members. The judging panel – which comprised members of the Association of Golf Writers as well as commentators from radio and television – acknowledged Donald’s spectacular consistency as well as his determination to become the number one golfer in the world. Iain Carter, Golf Correspondent of BBC Radio Five Live, said: “Luke Donald is living his life on the leaderboard. He enjoyed another fabulous month, following an extraordinary run of success, and by winning the BMW PGA Championship he realised two objectives – winning a tournament he watched every year as a youngster, and to be recognised as the best golfer in the world. He has fully earned his Number One status and he is unanimously our choice of Golfer of the Month.” The 33 year old Englishman was also named The Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Month for February and, along with other season winners so far; Martin Kaymer (January), Paul Lawrie (March) and Charl Schwartzel (April), he will be considered for The 2011 Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year Award which was won jointly by Graeme McDowell and Kaymer in 2010.