Luke Donald focused on Major tilt

Luke Donald has bunkered ­plans to regain the world No.1 spot, the understated Englishman now claiming it’s Major titles that he’s after instead.

The 34-year-old was the main man after a brilliant 2011 in which he became the first golfer to win the money list on both sides of the Atlantic in the same season.

However, since he first relinquished the No.1 accolade to Rory McIlroy earlier this year the two have traded blows at the top of the rankings - so much so that Donald is now setting his sights elsewhere.

“It’s been a good old tennis match between Rory and I recently,” Donald said after coming home two places outside the top-four finish he needed at the Players Championship to topple McIlroy.

“I was very nervous when I had opportunities to get to No.1, when it was really playing on my mind.

“But with going back and forward so many times it doesn’t mean that much any more. Don’t get me wrong, being No.1 is nice but at this stage of my career I am still searching to win Majors and that’s much more important.”

Donald’s next opportunity to finally break his Major duck comes next month in San Francisco when he’ll be looking to wrest the US Open title off, ironically, McIlroy.

However, he’ll certainly have his work cut out at the Olympic Club with a raft of Americans on top form this season. Hunter Mahan has already won twice, Rickie Fowler finally ended his PGA Tour title drought at the Wells Fargo Championship last week and the quiet Matt Kuchar reigned supreme at the Players on Sunday.

The US Ryder Cup star held his nerve to post 13-under to finish two shots ahead of Fowler, Zach Johnson, Ben Curtis and Martin Laird, collecting a cool $1.71m in the process and moving to a career-best No.5 in the rankings.

And of the trademark smile he flashed on the 18th at Sawgrass, Kuchar said: “It’s completely a natural reaction. I love playing the game of golf. I have fun doing it. I’m a golf junkie.

“I have to force myself to take vacations where I cannot play golf, because the game is just always so challenging. And I think it’s that challenge that’s addictive to me. The smile is there because I’m having a good time.”