Westwood Moves to No. 1 as Donald Loses Playoff

Brandt Snedeker rallied from six shots behind and defeated Luke Donald on Sunday in a playoff at the Heritage on Hilton Head Island, S.C., denying Donald the top spot in the World Golf Rankings. Donald, of England, would have risen to the No. 1 ranking from No. 3 had he won. Instead, his countryman Lee Westwood moved to No. 1 from No. 2, replacing Martin Kaymer, after winning the Indonesian Masters earlier in the day.

Donald saved par from difficult spots on the 71st and 72nd holes to force the playoff, then did it again on the second extra hole. But his luck ran out on Harbour Town Golf Links’ closing lighthouse hole, No. 18, when his ball became partly buried in a front bunker. Donald blasted out about 15 feet from the flag, and his chip for par from just off the green hit the back edge of the cup and bounced away.

Snedeker finished with a seven-under 64 to match Donald at 12 under. Donald shot his second straight 70. Tommy Gainey finished a stroke back after a 68.

“It was going to be some big rewards if I won today,” Donald said. “But I’ll try and find the positives from this week and move on.”

The tournament figured to come down to a duel between the final-round pair of third-round leader Donald, the third-round leader, and the defending champion Jim Furyk, who was one stroke behind. But Snedeker, who started 10 groups before the leaders, pushed his way into contention with seven birdies in his first 12 holes. He rolled in a 12-footer for par on his 72nd hole and headed to the clubhouse to wait.

After Donald reached 12 under with an 18-foot birdie putt on the 13th, he missed putts for birdie on the 15th and 16th holes. Donald looked as if he would shoot himself out of it, sending his tee shot on the par-3 17th off the back, then landing his approach into the bunker in front of No. 18. Both times, Donald chipped within 4 feet to save par.

Snedeker and Donald traded birdies on the first extra hole, the 18th, and pars on the second one, the 17th. Snedeker hit the green on the last playoff hole and two-putted for par.

In Jakarta, Indonesia, Westwood shot a three-under-par 69 for 19-under 269, three shots ahead of Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand. Westwood opened with a birdie and a bogey, then made eight straight pars. A birdie on No. 11 was the turning point in his round.

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