Golf writers pick Donald, while Lewis is top rookie

Luke Donald can add another accolade to his long list after winning the Golf Writers’ Trophy for 2011 ahead of joint runners-up Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy.

“Any award you win gives you a great amount of pleasure and for the golf writers to consider me as their player of the year means a lot,” Donald said.

“These are the people who really understand golf and appreciate all that I have achieved this year. All the people in the running – Rory, Darren, the Solheim Cup team and the Walker Cup team – would have been worthy winners and therefore it is very gratifying to get the vote ahead of all of them.”

Donald reached world No 1 in May, won the final event of the PGA Tour season in America to be their leading money-winner and then completed an unprecedented double by taking the European Tour title as well despite competing in only 13 counting tournaments.

Clarke, who won The Open 20 years after his first appearance in it, said: “What Luke Donald has achieved this year is unbelievable, I’m full of admiration for him.”

McIlroy shot a record score in becoming the youngest US Open champion since 1923 and did so only two months after blowing the US Masters with a closing round of 80.

The Solheim Cup-winning team came fourth in the vote and captain Alison Nicholas said: “It proves the strength of men’s and women’s professional golf in Europe at present and highlights the young and fearless talent that is coming through.”

That was underlined by the unexpected Walker Cup victory over the United States at Royal Aberdeen, with that side finishing fifth in the poll.

Donald will receive the trophy – first awarded in 1951 – at a dinner during The Open Championship at Royal Lytham in July.

Meanwhile, England’s Tom Lewis, who shared the lead in The Open as an amateur and then won on his third professional start, has been named the European Tour’s rookie of the year. The 20-year-old from Welwyn Garden City follows in the footsteps of his home club’s most famous figure, Sir Nick Faldo, by lifting the Sir Henry Cotton trophy. “I appreciate this honour very much. It tops off what has been an amazing year,” Lewis said.

Lewis shot to prominence with his opening 65 at Royal St George’s, the lowest round by an amateur in Open Championship history giving him a share of the lead. And three months later he produced the same score in the final round of the Portugal Masters to win on his third professional outing, the quickest victory by an affiliate member in Tour history.

In between those historic rounds, Lewis also played his part in Great Britain & Ireland’s Walker Cup victory over the United States at Royal Aberdeen.