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Snedeker’s rally denies Donald No. 1 world ranking

Luke Donald hits out of the bunker during a playoff at The Heritage. He nearly saved par but lost the playoff and a shot at No. 1 in the world. (Associated Press)

Brandt Snedeker rallied from six shots behind and beat Luke Donald in a playoff in The Heritage at Hilton Head Island, S.C., to deny the Englishman the No. 1 ranking Sunday.

Donald would’ve risen to the top spot in the world from No. 3 had he won. His countryman, Lee Westwood, moved from No. 2 to No. 1, replacing Martin Kaymer, after winning the Indonesian Masters earlier Sunday.

“It was going to be some big rewards if I won today,” Donald said. “But I’ll try and find the positives from this week and move on.”

Donald saved par from difficult spots on the 71st and 72nd holes to force the playoff, then did it again on the second extra hole. But his luck ran out on Harbour Town Golf Links’ closing lighthouse hole, No. 18, when he got a partially buried lie in a front bunker.

Donald blasted out about 15 feet from the flag and his chip for par from just off the green hit the back edge of the cup and bounced away, giving Snedeker his second career PGA Tour title and first since the 2007 Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.

Snedeker finished with a 7-under 64, tying for lowest round of the tournament, to match Donald at 12 under.

Donald shot his second straight 70. Tommy Gainey finished a stroke back after a 68.

Legends of Golf

David Eger and Mark McNulty won the Champions Tour’s better-ball Legends of Golf when Kenny Perry and Scott Hoch missed short par putts on the second hole of a playoff in Savannah, Ga.

Eger and McNulty closed with an 11-under 61 to match Perry and Hoch (64) at 27 under at The Club at Savannah Harbor. The teams of Wayne Levi-Keith Fergus (66), Russ Cochran-Mark Weibe (60), David Frost-Michael Allen (62), Corey Pavin-Tom Lehman (64) and Ian Baker-Finch-Joe Ozaki (64) tied for third at 26 under.

China Open

Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts won the China Open in Chengdu, China, closing with his second straight 6-under 66 for a tournament-record 24-under 264 total.

Spain’s Pablo Martin (63), Ireland’s Peter Lawrie (68), Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen (66) and New Zealand’s Danny Lee (65) tied for second at 20 under on the Luxehills International course.