Donald rises to Phoenix challenge

Published on 19/11/2012 00:00

World No 3 Luke Donald claimed a comfortable five-shot win at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan after the Englishman fired a final-round three-under-par 68.

Donald collected the £310,000 winner’s cheque by finishing with a 16-under 268 total at the Phoenix Country Club in 
Miyazaki Prefecture for his first Japan Tour title.

It was Donald’s third win of the season, all on different tours, following his successes at the PGA Tour’s Transitions Championship in March and the European Tour’s BMW PGA Championship in May. “BOOM!! 3rd win of the year – honoured to add my name to the great Champions that have won the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament,” the 34-year-old posted on his Twitter account.

Japanese amateur Hideki Matsuyama finished second behind Donald after a final-round 67 with Japanese Tour money-list leader Hiroyuki Fujita (70) tied fourth.

Ryder Cup-winning Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts tied for 22nd, alongside home favourite Ryo Ishikawa.