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Luke Donald won four times around the world in 2011 en route to capturing the PGA TOUR and European Tour money titles.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

After being named PGA TOUR Player of the Year on Tuesday, Luke Donald added another honor on Thursday as the European Tour’s Golfer of the Year.

The world’s top-ranked golfer became the first player to finish first on the PGA TOUR and European Tour money lists in the same season after winning four times around the world in 2011. In 26 starts this year, Donald finished in the top-10 20 times.

“To have the accolade of European Tour Golfer of the Year means an awful lot to me and I will certainly look back on this year with a lot of fond memories,” Donald said. “It is always nice to be appreciated, especially from the people in the sport who know the game inside out. They have recognized what I have done this year and it is very gratifying to have that validation.

“As a professional golfer you are always trying to do your best and it was good to see all the hard work I have put in coming to fruition. I was delighted with my game this year and it is rewarding to feel that, sometimes, consistency does pay off. Everyone dreams of having a year like this and I am very excited and feel fortunate that it happened to me.”

The panel of judges featured golf journalists from newspapers and magazines as well as commentators from radio and television. Other candidates included British Open champion Darren Clarke, U.S. Open winner Rory McIlroy and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

“Rory’s win at Congressional was amazing as was Darren’s success in The Open, while Charl birdieing the final four holes to win the Masters was a truly magical moment in golf,” Donald added. “Therefore, to be given the vote ahead of these great players who also had great years is very special indeed.”

Donald won twice on the European Tour at the Barclays Scottish Open and the BMW PGA Championship. He also captured the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.

Coming into the PGA TOUR’s season finale at Disney, Donald held off Webb Simpson with a final-round 64 that included six straight birdies on the back nine to win the tournament and lock up the money title. Similarly, in the European Tour’s season-ending Dubai World Championship, he finished third to hold off McIlroy’s bid to capture the Race to Dubai.

“The manner in which I came through to win both money lists was, I think, the thing that pleased me the most about the season,” Donald said. “Going to Florida and winning that tournament when I had to was very important as it gave me the incentive to go on and succeed in Dubai.

“There was a lot of pressure on me to come through that week and so, after my first round, to shoot 16 under par over three rounds to get the job done was the icing on the cake and something which gave me a huge amount of satisfaction and confidence to take forward into next year.”

Donald won the Race to Dubai despite playing six fewer events than runner-up McIlroy, and he topped the PGA TOUR money list despite seven fewer starts than Simpson.