Backspin: Wild finish was microcosm of '11 season

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Maybe it was only fitting.

After all, the 2011 PGA TOUR season has been marked by some fantastic finishes. So why shouldn't the final event of the year go down to the wire with everything on the line?

Luke Donald knew he needed to win the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic to have a chance to capture the PGA TOUR money title. And he delivered with a final-round 64 that included a phenomenal string of six straight birdies to start the back nine.

The two-stroke victory was Donald's second of the season and locked up a litany of awards -- the Arnold Palmer Trophy, the Vardon Trophy and very possibly PGA TOUR Player of the Year. And it kept alive Donald's hopes of an unprecedented sweep of the money titles on both sides of the Atlantic.

Donald had added Disney to his schedule specifically to try to win the money title so the accomplishment was particularly impressive. The last time a title changed hands in the final week of the season was 1996 when Tom Lehman overtook Phil Mickelson at the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.

Between glasses of his vintage wine, Donald found time to put things in perspective as he tweeted: "Wow! What a day, it's nice to come up with the goods when I needed them most. That's why I play this game."

But there were other stirring finishes this year, too.

• Take Bill Haas' clutch up-and-down from the water beside the 17th green at East Lake as he beat Hunter Mahan in a playoff. That improbable shot not only sealed the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola title for Haas, it gave him the FedExCup and its $10 million bonus.

• And what about Rory McIlroy's win at the U.S. Open? Two months after his final-round meltdown at the Masters, the young Northern Irishman put on a clinic at the U.S. Open, finishing 72 holes in 16 under and winning by eight shots.

Turns out McIlroy's loss at the Masters was Charl Schwartzel's gain, as the South African birdied the last four holes at Augusta National to win his first major. And then there was rookie Keegan Bradley, who came back from a triple bogey at the 15th hole on Sunday to force a playoff with Jason Dufner and win the PGA Championship.

Doesn't it make you eager to see what happpens in 2012?

Stock up

Luke Donald: The clutch performance at Disney should be a boost for the world No. 1 as he stalks the European money title in Dubai. The victory was his fourth of the season around the world and given what was on the line, perhaps his most satisfying. Justin Leonard: The hard work he's done with sports psychologist Morris Pickens and putting guru Dave Stockton Jr. is definitely paying dividends. Look for the Texan to build on his first top-10 of the now-ended season and come out strong in 2012. Webb Simpson: Sure, he didn't win the money title but he was in the hunt on the back nine. With two wins, two playoff losses and another runner-up finish, Simpson served notice that he's going to be a factor on TOUR for years to come.

Stock down

David Duval: The former British Open champion finds himself outside the top 150 again after making strides and finishing 106th in 2010. He missed the cut by two strokes at Disney and faces an uncertain 2012. Roland Thatcher: After finishing Nos. 121 and 122 on the money list the last two years, Thatcher couldn't hang on at Disney. He missed the cut and fell to No. 127 after hanging on for most of the day. Ben Curtis: A second-round 74 at Disney was his undoing and with that last missed cut, the 2003 British Open champ finds himself non-exempt at No. 149 on the money list. He didn't post a top-10 all year.

THE BACK NINE: 9 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. A few hours before his good friend Luke Donald started mowing down the competition at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic, Sergio Garcia was making quite an impression before the home crown at the Castello Masters. The Spaniard won his first tournament at Club de Campo del Mediterraneo when he was 12 but Sunday's was total domination as Garcia won by 11 strokes. The victory was the former PLAYERS champ's first in nearly three years and he dedicated the win to the late Seve Ballesteros. Garcia has rededicated himself to the game after taking a sabbatical two years ago and with top-12 finishes in his last three majors, Sunday's win looks to be the first of many.

2. With most players, the decision to change managers would have barely caused a ripple in the world of golf. But this was Rory McIlroy, and his split with Chubby Chandler was more like a tidal wave -- if you are to believe the pundits who were still analyzing the move days after the two parted ways. The young Northern Irishman opted to leave Chandler, who had seemingly become as big as some of his clients -- remember the talk of the Chubby Slam? -- for Horizon, a smaller Dublin-based company. Horizon also represents McIlroy's good friend Graeme McDowell.

3. Maybe they'll want to rename the tournament The CJ Invitational hosted -- and won -- by K.J. Choi. The Korean star wanted to give back to the Asian Tour, where he got is start, and he did when he lended his name and his support to the new event. And then THE PLAYERS champion closed with a 67 beat Seung-yul Noh, the Asian Tour No. 1, by two strokes. American Anthony Kim was third. "I'm so happy. We were very successful and this was a first-class tournament in Asia," said the modest Choi, who has won eight times on the PGA TOUR. China's Lian-wei Zhang was impressed by CHoi's gesture."He started his career with us and for him to do something like this speaks well of his intentions and his heart," Zhang said.

4. Two-time major champion Angel Cabrera learned to play the game as a caddy in his native Argentina. Camilo Villegas, a three-time PGA TOUR champ from Colombia, and rookie sensation Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela came to the United States to fine-tune their games in college. And there are sure to be more talented players from South America making their marks as the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica gets under way with 11 events in seven countries in 2012. The plan is to have as many as 14 tournaments in 2013 in this collaborative effort of the PGA TOUR, Tour de Las Americas, National Golf Federations, promoters and host clubs in the region.

5. Almost lost in the excitement over Luke Donald's stirring victory at the CMN Hospitals Classic was the accomplishment of Tom Pernice Jr. The 52-year-old finished in a tie for third on Sunday at Disney to jump from 143rd to 121st on the money list and earn his PGA TOUR playing privileges. Pernice, who amassed his money in just 12 starts, had finished outside the top 125 the last two seasons. He was one of four Champions Tour players to make the cut at Disney and he'll be among the favorites next week at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in San Francisco. "I'm not trying to show anybody anything," Pernice said. " I just love the challenge."

6. Players who finished between Nos. 126-150 on the money list won't be fully exempt for the 2012 season, but they do have options. They won't be able to plan their schedules but they likely will get in about 15-18 tournaments next year. And they are exempt into the finals of q-school, should they decide to return to the grueling test. That's what Billy Mayfair did last year and the 45-year-old veteran came through when it counted, earning medalist honors. He did the same on Sunday -- finishing in a tie for sixth and moving from No. 127 on the money to No. 109 to keep his card.

7. James Driscoll thought it was the lobster sandwich he had on Saturday rather than a bad case of the nerves. But the man who came into the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic as the bubble boy at No. 125 on the money list threw up in the fitness trailer prior to starting his final round. "I don't think it was nerves because after I threw up, I felt much better," he said. And Driscoll went on to play extremely well, closing with a 68 to tie for 12th and move to No. 114 on the money list.

On Monday, Driscoll tweeted: "Want to fix the tempo in your golf swing ?? Try food poisoning . It'll slow u right down. #workedforme."

8. The two trophies Luke Donald won on Sunday might look a little unusual sitting next to each other on his mantle. The Arnold Palmer Trophy comes along with the PGA TOUR money title. The CMN Hospitals Classic is a massive bronze rendering of a golfer eying a putt with Mickey Mouse tending the pin and Goofy carrying his bag. "It's about a 60-pound trophy," Donald said. "I nearly dropped it on the green." Donald's daughter Elle and her soon-to-be-born baby sister will likely be more enamored of the latter.

9. Oh, and one last Disney reference. Here's a headline we didn't use: This Donald didn't duck.

Forward Spin

The second annual event at The Mines Resort and Golf Club brings together the best players on the PGA TOUR and the Asian Tour. The course is among the best in Malaysia, and its sub-7,000 yard layout and par of 71 deemphasizes length. The most interesting hole is the 292-yard par-4 15th, which Ben Crane eagled twice. Crane ending up dominating the first three rounds last year, but had to fight off Brian Davis in the final round. Crane birdied the 72nd hole to take the title by a shot over the Englishman to cap off a career year on TOUR. This year's field (view it here) is strong, with 12 winners from the 2011 PGA TOUR making the trek to Malaysia.

Kodak Challenge

LUNDE WINS IT: Bill Lunde had to wait out two days of Kodak challengers taking final shots at Disney, but was ultimately rewarded with the $1 million prize. Story | Final Kodak Challenge standings | Lunde interview | Video highlights