Justin Rose targets winning end to European Tour season in Dubai

Justin Rose is confident of a late upgrade to his season rating as he bids to land a second Race to Dubai title with victory at the DP World Tour Championship.

Rose is one of seven players in with a chance of ending the season as European No 1, although he needs a win or a runner-up finish to overhaul current leader Rory McIlroy in the finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.

But even if Rose picks up his second European Tour win of the season following his victory in Hong Kong last month, McIlroy would still win the Race to Dubai with a solo second place.

McIlroy has a great record on the Earth Course and has never finished lower than 11th in six appearances there, but Rose also enjoys the layout having finished second, 10th and second in the last three years.

"I fancy my chances," said Rose, who finished top of the Order of Merit in 2007. "Rory pipped me in 2012 when I remember being two ahead playing the last and made birdie. There are very few times you play the last two ahead and make birdie and lose. Rory was a few holes behind and birdied the last five to win.

"Obviously he has a great record. Henrik Stenson (defending champion) has a great record here. I would say me, Rory and Henrik, all of us have played incredibly well at this venue the last few years.

For me, it's a pretty simple equation. I need to go out and pretty much win the tournament and if I do that, it could be a great week

"There's a pretty fair chance that one of us is going to be there on Sunday and obviously we are all hoping it's going to be the right guy from our own point of view. Whoever wins is going to still have to play their best golf.

"For me, it's a pretty simple equation. I need to go out and pretty much win the tournament and if I do that, it could be a great week. There's probably more pressure because I have to win, but it's a much more simple equation. Those guys (McIlroy and second-placed Danny Willett) are going to have to keep their eye on one another because there's a scenario where they could finish 20th and 25th and pick up the Race to Dubai."

Rose has won once on the PGA Tour and once on the European Tour this season, but can count himself unlucky not to have claimed a second major title after brilliant performances in the Masters and PGA Championship.

Asked to give himself a mark for the season, Rose said: "I think having won in Hong Kong, I think it goes up to certainly the B-plus, A-minus range.

"My play in the major championships I think was probably a highlight. I think I was maybe fourth all-time low score in the majors combined and that's something to be proud of. In the Masters, Open Championship and the PGA Championship, I had a chance to win on Sunday.

"If I played like I did this year, next year, maybe that would result in one or two major championships. For me it's about consistency and if I continue to put myself in that position, then the door is going to open for me.

"This year I've been beaten a couple of times by record-breaking performances; Jason Day was 20 under at the PGA and Jordan Spieth 18 under at the Masters. It's taken record-breaking performances to prevent me from winning.

"I felt like I did all the right things to give myself a chance to win this year, so I just need to continue to do that next year, and you sometimes can't force the victory. It just needs to happen."

Live European Tour Golf