McIlroy reclaims No. 1 golf ranking from Donald
April 16, 2012 -- Updated 1141 GMT (1941 HKT)
Luke Donald never recovered from an opening round of four-over 75 at Harbour Town Golf Links.
Rory McIlroy replaced Donald as No. 1 despite a disappointing showing at the Masters in his last tournament. He spent this week with his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki in Copenhagen.
Carl Pettersson of Sweden won the RBC Heritage by five shots from Zach Johnson for his fifth PGA Tour title.
Donald finishes down field
McIlroy on top
Pettersson wins by five shots
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Luke Donald needed a top-eight finish at the RBC Heritage to keep No. 1 ranking
- Donald and Rory McIlroy have switched places three times already this season
- Sweden's Carl Pettersson won the tournament by five shots from Zach Johnson
(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy reclaimed golf's No. 1 ranking without lifting a club after Ryder Cup teammate Luke Donald finished down the field in 37th at the RBC Heritage on Sunday.
Donald needed a top-eight finish to hold off the Northern Irishman but a four-over-par 75 in the opening round put him on the back foot straight away and he eventually finished 16 shots behind the winner, Carl Pettersson of Sweden.
McIlroy took the week off following a disappointing showing at the Masters, traveling to Copenhagen to support his tennis-playing girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki at her home tournament. The Dane's bid for a third successive title in the event ended in defeat in Sunday's final.
McIlroy is next scheduled to play at the PGA Tour's Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, beginning May 3 -- a tournament he won in 2010.
Bubba Watson: 'It's a whirlwind'
Bubba Watson talks faith and family
"#1 again without touching a golf club this week.... I wish it was that easy!" the 22-year-old tweeted on Sunday.
Donald and McIlroy have swapped places three times this year already. The Englishman's latest stint at the top lasted four weeks.
"Is it a concern? No," Donald said. "Obviously, I'd have liked to have played a bit more consistently this year. I built it up nicely last year through tournaments and winning a bunch."
Donald made the cut at the RBC Heritage with a second-round 69 but finished the tournament with two level-par rounds to end up on two over.
"Not my best week, getting used to leaving this place ranked #2. Nice week off now," tweeted Donald, who lost out to Brandt Snedeker in a playoff at last year's tournament.
Donald won the Transitions Championship in March but has only one other top-10 finish. McIlroy has four top-five finishes to go with his Honda Classic win in March.
"Not my best week, getting used to leaving this place ranked #2"
Luke Donald
Donald is next due to play at the Zurich Classic, beginning April 28.
Pettersson, meanwhile, began the final round with a one-shot lead over Colt Knost and finished with a confident two-under 69 to move clear of the field for his fifth PGA Tour title.
Knost had a disastrous final round of 74 to drop out of contention, leaving Pettersson to claim victory by five strokes from another American, Zach Johnson.
Three years ago, the 34-year-old Pettersson dropped 30 pounds in a bid to slim down and improve his fitness, but found his swing was compromised and quickly decided to revert to his previous weight.
Describing how he put the pounds back on, Pettersson told the PGA Tour website: "Well, you drink 10 beers and (eat) a tub of ice cream before bed."
Part of complete coverage on
April 16, 2013 -- Updated 1615 GMT (0015 HKT)
Masters champion Adam Scott not only has to contend with national hero status at home but also the role of golf's latest sex symbol.
April 12, 2013 -- Updated 1118 GMT (1918 HKT)
Discover why golf's old school establishment fears a new breed of players creating new popularity with their online antics.
April 11, 2013 -- Updated 1854 GMT (0254 HKT)
Following the web's reaction to Adam Scott's dramtic triumph at the 2013 Masters.
April 12, 2013 -- Updated 1408 GMT (2208 HKT)
It's not just golf that makes Augusta so special -- there's also James Brown, cheese pimiento sandwiches, turkeys and ghosts.
March 26, 2013 -- Updated 1300 GMT (2100 HKT)
As a swimmer, his countless hours of training paid off handsomely. As a golfer, Michael Phelps is wondering what he got himself into.
April 1, 2013 -- Updated 1306 GMT (2106 HKT)
American D.A. Points celebrates his win at the Houston Open by joining in the "Dufnering" craze that has gripped golf recently.
March 7, 2013 -- Updated 1340 GMT (2140 HKT)
Ernie Els' coach Claude Harmon and former world No.1 Martin Kaymer tell Living Golf that anchored putting is dividing the sport.
March 7, 2013 -- Updated 1349 GMT (2149 HKT)
Matteo Manassero, the youngest player to qualify for the Masters, reflects on his career and the boy who will break one of his records.
March 7, 2013 -- Updated 1334 GMT (2134 HKT)
Living Golf meets Thorbjorn Olesen as the rising star of European golf prepares for the most important tournaments of his career.
March 13, 2013 -- Updated 1925 GMT (0325 HKT)
Martin Kaymer reflects on his performance at the 39th Ryder Cup, when he sunk the winning putt against the United States.
February 7, 2013 -- Updated 1501 GMT (2301 HKT)
CNN's Shane O'Donoghue asks how much Rory McIlroy's new multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal is really worth.
February 7, 2013 -- Updated 1748 GMT (0148 HKT)
Living Golf meets Paul McGinley, who talks about becoming Europe's new Ryder Cup captain.
February 18, 2013 -- Updated 1149 GMT (1949 HKT)
Paul McGinley's former captain, Sam Torrance, shares some advice for the pro golfer turned new Ryder Cup captain.
February 7, 2013 -- Updated 1516 GMT (2316 HKT)
Don Riddell explores whether Tuscany can follow up on Italy's successes on the European Tour and develop golf tourism.
February 7, 2013 -- Updated 1512 GMT (2312 HKT)
2010 PGA Champion Martin Kaymer shares his favorite shots with CNN's Shane O'Donoghue.
February 5, 2013 -- Updated 1840 GMT (0240 HKT)
Two men with lofty ambitions in a midwestern town of the United States have finally realized their dream after months of endeavor.
January 3, 2013 -- Updated 1213 GMT (2013 HKT)
Living Golf's Shane O'Donoghue explores the changing role of black players in South African golf.
January 3, 2013 -- Updated 1307 GMT (2107 HKT)
Shane O'Donoghue meets South Africa's Branden Grace, the outstanding breakout player from the 2012 European season.
January 3, 2013 -- Updated 1214 GMT (2014 HKT)
Shane O'Donoghue meets Dr. Sherylle Calder, the woman who taught reigning British Open champion Ernie Els how to putt again.
December 22, 2012 -- Updated 1439 GMT (2239 HKT)
It's crazy golf on an insane scale -- a putting green swimming in a giant bowl of noodles and the Great Wall of China for a hazard.
Today's five most popular stories