Luke keeps his cool

Luke Donald claimed his first European Tour title for six years with a one-stroke victory at the Madrid Masters.

Seven days after he was beaten by the same margin in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Ryder Cup star Donald shot a closing 67 to beat Welsh rookie Rhys Davies by a shot at Real Sociedad.

An eagle at the par five16th proved decisive for the 32-year-old, who became England's fourth player in the world's top 10 on Monday courtesy of this success. This is the first time ever that England has had so many highly-ranked players and highlights just how strong European golf is at the moment.

Davies, already a winner in this, his first full season on the European Tour, birdied the 16th as well and still had a chance to force a play-off, but his 20-foot birdie putt on the last was well wide.

The victory lifts Donald from 13th to ninth in the world - and to fourth place in the Ryder Cup points race, knocking Padraig Harrington out of the top nine who will earn automatic spots at the end of August. His last victory was the Honda Classic in America in March 2006 and his last in Europe came in Switzerland in September 2004.

Tiger Woods will return from injury to defend his Memorial Tournament title this week in Ohio even though he is still not completely fit. Earlier last month Woods withdrew from the Players Championship only seven holes into his final round because of a neck injury.

The Muirfield Village tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus, which Woods has won four times, will help serve as preparation for the US Open two weeks later at Pebble Beach. As well as the Memorial and the US Open, Woods has also confirmed that he will play at the Open and the AT&T National.

The 14-time major champion has played only three events since returning from a self-imposed five-month exile following revelations in his private life.

Corey Pavin, the US Ryder Cup Captain, insisted this week that even Tiger Woods would not be an automatic pick for his team. I feel that is the right attitude for any captain to have. The world number one is currently 11th in the American Ryder Cup rankings - outside the automatic qualification places - and Pavin is strong enough to not pick Tiger if his mentality is not right before the Ryder Cup.

Clearly Woods' mind is not on playing golf right now, but when he does switch his focus back to that aspect of his life then there's no doubt he'll fly into the team. And even if he was 15th in the list and was starting to play well again, then of course you would want to give him a wild card.

But even though Woods is the world number one, his Ryder Cup record is not brilliant. Would you want him if his mind is not right? I would say, no. I'd rather have a young, ambitious player who was on form and desperate to play than somebody whose priorities are elsewhere.

There is a lot of time between now and the Ryder Cup and there is a lot of time for Tiger to find harmony and balance in his private life. Then he can make golf his sole focus again. But if the Ryder Cup were in two weeks time I would not pick him, and neither would Pavin, Colin Montgomerie or any other captain.