English golfer Luke Donald has won the PGA Championship in Wentworth for a second straight year to displace Rory McIlroy at the top of the world rankings.
English golfer Luke Donald - back to the top of the world rankings after defending his PGA Championship title - tipped Justin Rose to win a US Open despite beating his compatriot by four shots on Sunday at Wentworth.
Donald carded a four-round total of 273, 15-under-par, with Rose and Scotland's Paul Lawrie finishing tied for second on 277.
Rose, who missed a six-foot putt at the last which would have given him outright second, had put the pressure on during the front nine before Donald eased away to win and displace Rory McIlroy as world No.1.
It is the fourth time Donald has topped the global rankings.
Lawrie had the best round of the day with a six-under 66, while namesake - Ireland's Peter Lawrie - who had shared the lead had his hopes go up in smoke with a triple bogey seven at the eighth and he finished on 280, level par and in fourth spot with South African Branden Grace a further shot back in fifth.
Donald is only the third player to win back-to-back PGA titles following Sir Nick Faldo (1980-81) and Colin Montgomerie, who won three times from 1998. This was the fourth English win in a row in Europe's most prestigious title after Paul Casey, Simon Khan and Donald's first victory last year.
Donald, yet to win a major, comfortably staved off Rose's challenge but saw enough in his playing partner's game to convince him he has a big chance at the season's next major staged at the Olympic Club in San Francisco from 14 June.
Rose, 31, first came to prominence when finishing fourth as an amateur at the 1998 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
"Justin has the game to win the US Open.
"He hits it very good off the tees and has a similar kind of game to Lee Westwood - he strikes it solid and doesn't make mistakes.
"I'm sure he is working on getting a little better on the greens but he is making big strides in that area too. I see a lot of great things coming from Justin."
Donald himself will head to the US Open with his confidence high after deposing Rory McIlroy from the top of the rankings and growing an aura, especially around the greens, that seems to deflate his rivals.
The Englishman has been working on his body language with Dave Alred, a coach who helped Jonny Wilkinson guide England to the Rugby World Cup in 2003.
"It has helped me to be really aware of my posture and how I outwardly project that feeling of positiveness. It helps me and obviously sends a message to whoever I am playing with.
"It helps me to feel very confident on the greens and it is a big, big weapon in my arsenal," said Donald.
