Lee Westwood of England hits his tee shot on the first hole during final round play in the 2011 Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, in this file photo taken on April 10, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

Donald said Westwood's water-bound approach in the playoff was more down to poor fortune than execution.

"It wasn't a bad shot, just had a litte bit too much spin on it. It was just unfortunate, you don't like to see that," Donald said. "Lee is a champion and has been a great No 1 for European golf."

A tournament of mostly unimpressive scoring _ down to a redesign from Ernie Els that has made the West Course almost unplayable, or to fiendishly difficult pin placements, depending upon whom you believe _ continued at the start of the final round.

After rounds of 72 and 72, Donald began the final day by going bogey-bogey, visibly blanching after duffing his chip at the par-3 No 2 from just off the green.

Manassaero double-bogeyed No 3 after needing two shots to reach the green from an adjacent bunker. Donald birdied the next hole to draw level with the Italian in front again.

Westwood, however, made four birdies in nine holes after a bogey on No 3 to sit on top of the leaderboard.

Another birdie on the difficult No 15 green was made possible by one of the shots of the tournament. Having missed the fairway with his driver and receiving a free drop, Westwood carved a 7-iron with draw that rolled within 4 feet of the hole, the putt taking him two strokes ahead of Donald.

That lead evaporated at No 16.

Westwood three-putted after having dropped his club in his follow-through from the tee. Donald, in the next group, landed his approach within a foot of the hole - and the top two players in the world were level again.

Down the home straight, Donald and Westwood mixed the sub-standard with the sublime.

Donald's birdie putt lipped out on No 17 after a brilliant rescue shot from an approach that hit a tree. He landed his tee shot into the bunker at No 18, not long after Westwood had sent his 5-wood into the gallery at the last.

Both players made par to head back to the No 18 tee, but Westwood's reign as No 1 was to end on the first playoff hole.