There certainly isn’t much love lost between the world’s second and eighth placed golfers. Lee Westwood was unmistakably verbal about Rory Mcllroy’s meteoric rise to the top of the leader board at the US Open, and not in the way you might think. He was quoted as saying in reference to the eight stroke lead held by the Northern Irishmen “They don’t give trophies away” followed closely by “He had a big lead in a major and didn’t deal with it well before.”

This is in stark contrast to the hunky-dory picture of friendly bliss painted by Chubby Chandler, agent to both men. The spin-doctor enchanted the media with stories of scheduled dinners, which apparently both the former Ryder Cup teammates were extremely keen to attend.

So why this sudden surge of bad blood between the two European Tour aces that has them chucking snide remarks back and forth on social networks?  (more…)

Luke Donald dethroned Lee Westwood as golf‘s world number one on Sunday when he beat his fellow Briton in the PGA Championship at Wentworth.

After the pair had finished 72 holes tied on 278 — six under par — Donald produced a birdie four at the first extra hole to pick up the first prize of 750000 euros ($1,07 million).

Donald, who started the week ranked second in the world, struck a majestic third with his wedge at the 18th and the ball spectacularly spun back to finish eight feet from the hole to loud cries from the West Course crowd of ‘Luke, Luke, Luke’.

Westwood played an almost replica wedge shot to his Ryder Cup foursomes partner but his ball unluckily spun back into the moat at the front of the green and his hopes of remaining at the top of the rankings were effectively ruined.

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When Luke Donald lost to Brandt Snedeker in the play-offs at The Heritage in South Carolina, his chance at the top spot in World golf landed in the trap as well.

Needing a victory to top the rankings Donald looked to have achieved his goal when he drained a 12 foot birdie putt at the first extra hole, the 18th.

But Snedeker, who had raced through the field on Sunday with a final round 64, followed him in from similar range to stay alive.

Donald made a great up and down from sand as the pair traded pars at the 17th, the second extra hole, but the Englishman couldn’t repeat the feat when they returned to the 18th again.

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