Donald back on top of golf rankings

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 28 (UPI) -- Luke Donald, for the third time in two months, has overtaken Rory McIlroy for the No. 1 spot in the men's world golf rankings.

Donald defended his 2011 title at the European Tour's BMW PGA Championship Sunday in England. It was his second win of the year -- he won the Transitions Championship in March on the PGA Tour -- and 13th as a pro.

McIlroy missed the cut at the BMW, which contributed to the switch at the top of the rankings.

Donald first reached the No. 1 spot in the rankings a year ago after winning the BMW for the first time and held it until March 3 when McIlroy became No. 1, pushing Donald to second. Two weeks later they traded places again and April 15 they made another switch, with McIlroy again on top. Donald had a 1-week stop at No. 1 beginning April 28 and McIlroy was first for three weeks until Monday.

Donald has been No. 1 for a total of 46 weeks, which is the sixth most. He has a rankings points average of 10.429 while McIlroy comes in at 9.389.

Lee Westwood remains third at 8.053 followed by Bubba Watson (6.371) and Matt Kuchar (6.036).

Justin Rose, who tied for second at the BMW, is up four spots this week to No. 6 with an average of 5.604. Hunter Mahan (5.484) drops one spot but Jason Dufner (5.296), who was second at the PGA Tour's Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial, enters the Top 10 for the first time at No. 8. His average is 5.296.

Tigers Woods (5.158) and Steve Stricker (5.068) are each knocked down one place to ninth and 10th, respectively.

Zach Johnson, who won at Colonial, is 17th this week, up 10 spots.