ON THE EUROPEAN TO UR
ROSE RETURNS TO TOP
OF THE WORLD
ustin Rose defeated Li Haotong in a
play-off to defend the first title of his
illustrious career at the Turkish Airlines
Open, the sixth Rolex Series event of the
2018 season, and returned to the top of the
Official World Golf Ranking in the process.
The Englishman also became the first player
to successfully defend a Rolex Series title as
he overcame China’s Li with a par on the
first extra hole following a thrilling final
day battle at Regnum Carya Golf and Spa
Resort. Rose started the day three shots
behind Li but led by two with four to play as
he produced the kind of consistent display
that helped him record six top ten finishes
in the 2018 Race to Dubai before arriving
in Turkey this week. An incredible eagle on
the 15th moved Li back level but Rose duly
replied with a birdie at the 16th to move to
the front again. A couple of bogeys coming
in, though, paired with Li’s dropped shot on
the final hole, meant they finished tied at
the top on 17 under. A three-putt from Li
on the first trip back up the par four 18th
hole then handed Rose his 11th European
Tour win, and moved him into third place
in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented
by Rolex, as he joined his 2018 Ryder Cup
team mates Jon Rahm and Alex Noren as
a multiple Rolex Series winner. Belgian
Thomas Detry and Adrian Otaegui of Spain
both signed for rounds of 65 to sit two shots
behind the play-off places at 15 under par.
German Major winner Martin Kaymer and
Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard were one shot
further back at 14 under par, with English
pair Tommy Fleetwood and Danny Willett,
and another Dane in Thorbjørn Olesen at 13
under par.
Westwood back in the winner’s circle
Lee Westwood produced a stunning closing 64 to win his fi rst Rolex
Series title at the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player.
The Englishman entered the fi nal day at Gary Player Country Club
three shots behind long-time leader Sergio Garcia but an eagle
on the second put him at the top of the leaderboard and set up an
enthralling three-way battle between those two and local favourite
Louis Oosthuizen. The heavyweight trio went blow-for-blow on one
of the most entertaining afternoons of the season and it was former
World Number One Westwood who birdied fi ve of his last eight
holes to get to 15 under and prevail over his Major Championship
winning rivals. Westwood’s triumph is his third at Gary Player
Country Club after the Sunshine Tour’s Dimension Data Pro-Am in
2000 and this event in 2010 and 2011 before it joined the European
Tour International Schedule. The 45 year old’s last victory came
at the 2014 Maybank Malaysian Open and he was fi ghting back
the tears after taking his tally to a remarkable 24 on the European
Tour and 43 worldwide. Spaniard Garcia signed for a 70 to fi nish
at 12 under, one shot ahead of Oosthuizen who closed with a 69.
While England’s Ross Fisher was then at eight under, a shot clear
of countryman Matt Wallace and China’s Li Haotong. Li needed
a win to keep his hopes of winning the Race to Dubai alive but
results in Sun City mean that it will be either Francesco Molinari
or Tommy Fleetwood who will be crowned Europe’s Number One
after next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship,
Dubai. Belgian Thomas Detry fi nished at six under, one clear of
England’s Aaron Rai and two ahead of another Englishman in Chris
Paisley and South African Darren Fichardt.
22 G o l f P l u s
DECEMBER
2018