Lake Buena Vista, FL – He entered the tournament last Friday with one thought in mind: win.
Luke Donald did just that.
The Englishman birdied the first six holes of the back nine on Sunday en route to an eight-under 64. That helped him earn a two-stroke victory at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.
Donald ended at 17-under-par 271. The victory was his second on the PGA Tour in 2011 and the fourth of his career.
With the $846,000 first-place paycheck, Donald overtook Webb Simpson for the PGA Tour money title as well. Donald holds a healthy lead on the European Tour Order of Merit. If he can maintain that margin, Donald will be the first player to top both lists in the same season.
Justin Leonard, who shared the third-round lead with Kevin Chappell, parred the final hole to shoot one-under 71 and take second place at minus-15.
Chappell managed an even-par 72 to share third place at 14-under-par 274 with Sunghoon Kang (68) and Tom Pernice, Jr. (69).
Three of those players have more to celebrate. Leonard, Kang and Pernice were three of the four players, along with Billy Mayfair, to move inside the top 125 on the money list and keep their PGA Tour card for 2012.
That means four others fell out of the top 125, but only two of them lost their tour card. Bobby Gates and Roland Thatcher both fell out of the top 125.
Gates bogeyed his final hole to post 71 and finish in a tie for 46th, but he slid to 126th on the money list. Thatcher missed the cut and dropped from No. 120 to No. 127.
Tiger Woods and Stuart Appleby also fell outside the top 125, but are exempt for next season. Woods is a lifetime member of the Tour, while Appleby won The Greenbrier last year.
D.J. Trahan, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, poured in a 22-foot birdie putt on his final hole, the ninth. That gave him enough money to finish 125th on the money list.
MORE TO FOLLOW.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.