Luke Donald, 33-years-old, has gained the world No.1 ranking in professional golf on Sunday after beating Lee Westwood at the BMW PGA Championship in Britain.

The triumph has elevated Donald to the spot for the first time ever. Donald has won two top-ranking events in the past three months; he won the Accenture World Matchplay in Tucson and the BMW PGA Championship.

Donald and Westwood (the former number 1 player) finished on 6-under-par after the final round of the London tournament, with the 33-year-old Donald taking the title at the first extra hole. Englishman Simon Dyson was third at four under.

Donald became the third Englishman to become No.1 in world ranking.

He will become the 15th player to hold the No.1 rank and became the first European to head the list since Nick Faldo in 1994.

I have been runner-up a few times in my career, a few times this year, and to come through in these circumstances, in one of the biggest tournaments in the world, going head-to-head with Lee, is pretty special, Donald told the official European Tour website.

It means the hard work is paying off. I'm doing the right things. I had a good strong belief I could get there. And it's happened. Onwards and upwards, he said.

It was Donald's sixth European Tour title and second this season after February's Match Play Championship in Arizona.

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