Els back in swing with Miami victory

The 40-year-old captured the second of this season's world championships – and his 63rd professional title – by a commanding four-shot margin after what developed into a straight head-to-head with his fellow South African Charl Schwartzel.

Three strokes further back in joint third were German Martin Kaymer, American Matt Kuchar and Ireland's Padraig Harrington, whose closing 72 was never going to give him a chance on a day of low scoring.

With the win Els returns to the world's top ten, a place where he has spent more weeks – 759 now – than any other player since the rankings started in 1986.

"I've had a tough run and I really wanted to play well," he said after a 66 gave him an 18-under-par total on the same Doral course where he held off Tiger Woods to win the 2002 Genuity Championship.

"I just wanted to prove it to myself for once. I had to really trust the changes I've just made. The wind was blowing and you had to hit solid shots.

"Charl came at me all day and I have to take a lot of positives out of this."

It was his second victory in the event. Under former sponsor American Express he lifted the title at Mount Juliet in Ireland in 2004.

Seven times over the weekend Schwartzel, twice a winner in his home country already this year, drew level with the man he has literally looked up to since he was a youngster.

The 25-year-old rising star could never get his nose in front, however, and the crucial moments came on the 14th and 15th.

First Els saved par from 24 feet to stay one in front and then, when both were bunkered at the short next, Schwartzel arrived to find his ball plugged.

He went from there into the same back bunker Els had found and although both got up and down from there the gap was two.

Schwartzel almost hit the hole with his approach to the 16th, but left an 11-foot birdie attempt short and when he bogeyed again on the next after Els had birdied from five feet there was only one place the 925,000 first prize was going.

It makes Els the leading career money-winner on the European Tour again, taking him ahead of Colin Montgomerie with more than 21million.

Earlier, Ian Poulter gave his confidence another shot in the arm with a brilliant closing 64, the joint-best round of the tournament. With no chance of winning when he resumed joint 62nd of the 68 players, the World Match Play champion opened with a 54-foot eagle putt and then had seven birdies – the same as Rory McIlroy had all week.

"I'd struggled all week, but today I came out, felt good and was hitting it 20 yards further, maybe 30," said the world No 5. "It was frustrating to get the start I did, but I feel my golf game is in shape and I can prepare for the Masters the best I've ever prepared."

He plays this coming week in Tampa, then has the two-day Tavistock Cup and has two weeks off before the first major of the season. McIlroy is spending the next three days at Augusta after finishing a desperately disappointing week with a third successive 73 and a seven-over total.

Only England's Oliver Wilson and Australian Michael Sim ended up below the 20-year-old in the 68-strong field.

McIlroy has been battling the recurrence of a back problem for the last six weeks, but at least that was better in his final round.

He then headed off to see the Miami Heat basketball team for the second time in three days and joked: "It's about the only thing that's making me smile. I just didn't have it and haven't had it for the last couple of weeks. I've a few issues to sort out when I get home. The back isn't worrying me, but it's getting me down."

He intends to ease off on the physio work, at least for a while, saying: "Half of it is probably mental. I'm starting off in a negative mood."