He’s the golfer who’s spent 56 weeks as world number one but never finished higher than third place in a major

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Being the best player in the world in any sport is some achievement but to do it in golf without ever being able to capture one of the four majors, is even more impressive in a way.

When you look at the list of players who have reached number one in the world, the common theme is usually major championship wins.

Tiger Woods is the main man on the list, having spent more than 680 weeks as number one and adding 15 majors over his career. Other players like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Sir Nick Faldo are high up the list with majors to show for it, while Australian legend Greg Norman won two majors for his 331 weeks as the top dog.

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However, in and among the list of players who make up ever getting to world number one are a select few who have never got that major title over the line.

And quite remarkably, one of those is current European Ryder Cup captain, Luke Donald.

How Luke Donald spent 56 weeks as world number one without winning a major

It’s pretty outstanding to think that a player can spend more than a year as the world number one but not have a single major to show for that quality.

However, that’s exactly the boat Luke Donald finds himself in.

Donald was one of the most consistent players in the world in his prime and back in 2011, he managed to climb the ranks and get within touching distance of being the best player in the world.

In dramatic fashion, Donald then beat fellow Brit Lee Westwood to the punch at the BMW PGA at Wentworth.

At the time, Westwood was world number one himself, so it was very much a battle of the two best players in the world.

Donald then went on a run of what would be quite the ding dong battle with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods over the next couple of seasons.

It wasn’t until late in 2012 when Donald would finally relinquish top spot for the final time and from there, he never made it back to top spot.

In a remarkable twist in this tale of Donald as well, he and the aforementioned Westwood are the only two players to get to top spot in the world and never win a major. With both being English, it’s pretty worrying for the country that two of its finest ever golfers never managed that major win.

Luke Donald’s career in numbers  

Despite not winning a major championship, Luke Donald can still look back on a career that was more than successful.

Not many get to world number one so for him to spend a total of 56 weeks there is a testament to his quality.

In terms of his PGA Tour career, Donald more than succeeded. He played 431 events on the TOUR, winning five times – his biggest being the 2006 Honda Classic – and landed another 79 top ten finishes along the way.

Alongside the PGA Tour career, Donald also made 207 starts on the DP World Tour, winning seven times, including the BMW PGA twice in successive years, and the Scottish Open in 2011.  

In terms of majors, Donald only ever mustered up a tie for third in both The Masters in 2005 and the PGA Championship in 2006.

However, now being a successful Ryder Cup captain as well, Luke Donald can look back on a career that had more than enough highlights.