Cool-hand Luke the undisputed No 1

LAST week was proof - if it was needed - that Luke Donald is the best player in the world right now.

With incredibly tough conditions and strong winds that demanded pinpoint accuracy and total control of the ball, he set himself apart.

The event was billed as yet another battle for the rankings summit between him and Rory McIlroy, but Donald made it a no-contest, opening up with back-to-back 68s, while the Northern Irishman floundered below the cut-line, 17 shots back of the eventual winner.

There's no doubting that Rory has much more flair, charisma and natural ability, but if you had to put your money on one of them to win the US Open right now, who would it be? For me, it's Donald every time.

Is Wentworth too hard?

WITH its bone-hard fairways and greens, encroaching tree-lines and swirling winds, Wentworth's West Course provided a stern test to Europe's best players.  In total, there were 1,554 bogeys, 280 doubles or worse, and 23 scores of 80 or more throughout the week. Ernie Els, who has made changes to the course, launched a foul-mouthed rant directed at incompetent greenskeepers who, he said, should have watered the greens more - and was fined as a result - but is the course set up the way it is just too difficult? Or does a track of such stature separate the wheat from the chaff and produce the best winners?

McIlroy managing his time poorly

TWO missed cuts in a row is no big deal to the average tour pro. But when it happens to Rory McIlroy - arguably the world's most natural talent - there is cause for concern. The Northern Irishman was far from himself at Wentworth, throwing clubs and looking flustered and frustrated. It begs the question - is flying across the Atlantic every other week a good idea? Is it having an impact on his practice? And how well is he planning his time, given that a lot of it is taken up visiting tennis pro girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki in between tournaments?

Whatever it may be, there's no doubting Rory looks half the player he was heading into the US Open last year.

Dufner is human after all

THROUGH 54 holes at the Crowne Plaza Inivitational on Saturday it looked like Jason Dufner was heading for his third win in five weeks.

The cool American had sandwiched his wedding day with wins at the Zurich Classic and Byron Nelson and was beginning to look totally unflappable when the pressure was on. However, going toe-to-toe with Zach Johnson in the final round yesterday, he showed he is human. A scrappy 74 followed rounds of 65, 64 and 66 and, thanks only to a rules infraction on the last from the winner, meant he finished one off the pace. The runners-up finish takes him firmly into the world's top 10, though, so I'm sure he won't be too upset.

Always replace your marker

WHY is it that you always remember to remind someone else to replace their marker but have a brain-freeze whenever it is up to you? So it was that Zach Johnson had to move his marker as it was on Jason Dufner's line on the final green and then forgot to replace it, thus incurring a two-stroke penalty.

Happily, it made no difference to the outcome of the event.

What a way to miss out on a tournament win that would be. Almost as bad as failing to sign your scorecard (Padraig Harrington at the B&H), failing to swap your scorecard (Mark Roe and Jesper Parnevik, 2003 Open) or signing for the wrong score to end up in a play-off rather than winning (Roberto De Vicenzo, 1968 Masters). Needless to say, De Vicenzo lost the play-off, to Bob Goalby.