PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) - Luke Donald regained the No. 1 ranking in the world Sunday by winning a four-man playoff at the Transitions on the first extra hole with a shot out of the rough to 6 feet and a birdie putt that curled in the left side of the cup.
Donald ended Rory McIlroy's two-week stay atop the world ranking by rallying from three strokes down with a 66.
He first reached No. 1 in the world by winning a playoff over Lee Westwood at Wentworth last May. This required more work as Donald had to beat Jim Furyk, Robert Garrigus and Bae Sang-Moon in sudden death.
Furyk, who closed with a 69, had an awkward lie just short of the bunker and left himself a 40-foot putt. Bae (68) missed his birdie attempt from 18 feet. Garrigus, who birdied the last two holes in regulation for a 64, pounded his tee shot and hit wedge into 7 feet, but he pulled his birdie putt.
Ernie Els was among eight players who were tied for the lead at some point in the final round, and he had a one-shot lead going into the closing stretch known as the "Snake Pit" at the Copperhead course.
The Big Easy missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the 16th, and then badly missed a 4-foot par putt on the 18th hole that caused him to miss the playoff by one shot. He likely has to win in the next two weeks to avoid missing the Masters for the first time since 1993.
LPGA
PHOENIX (AP) - Yani Tseng two-putted for par from 40 feet in fading light to hold off Ai Miyazato and Na Yeon Choi by a stroke at the LPGA Founders Cup.
The top-ranked Taiwanese star won her 14th LPGA Tour title and second in four events this year. She closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 18 under.
The second-ranked Choi also shot 68, and Miyazato had a 69.
Three strokes behind Miyazato at the turn, Tseng birdied five of the first six holes on the back nine and closed with three pars.
Because of lightning near the Wildfire Golf Club, play was delayed three times for a total of three hours. Tseng holed her winning 2-foot putt at 6:45 p.m. - 8 hours, 4 minutes after the leaders teed off and seven minutes after sunset.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Loren Roberts shot a 69 to win the Toshiba Classic by two strokes over Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Kite and Bernhard Langer.
Roberts made a 5-foot birdie putt on the final hole to ensure the victory after bogeys on three of the previous four holes. He began the day two strokes behind Calcavecchia, but made birdies on three of his first four holes.
The Champions Tour victory was Roberts' 13th and he earned $262,500. His last victory was in 2010, a 34-tournament span.
EUROPEAN TOUR
MARBELLA, Spain (AP) - Julien Quesne tied the course record with an 8-under 64 to win the Andalucian Open for his first European Tour victory.
The 31-year-old birdied four of the final five holes to finish at 17 under, claiming victory by two strokes ahead of Italy's Matteo Manassero (68) on the Aloha course.
The win earned the Frenchman $219,590 and a one-year European Tour exemption.
Tournament host Miguel Angel Jimenez, who was looking to become the oldest winner on the European Tour at age 48, shot a 71 and finished at 11 under.