Justin Rose named European Tour Golfer of the Month for October
By Keith Jackson
Last Updated: 22/11/17 5:01pm
Justin Rose gained consolation for narrowly missing out on the Race to Dubai title after being named European Tour Golfer of the Month for October.
Rose ended October with a huge win at the WGC-HSBC Champions, when he took advantage of Dustin Johnson's final-round collapse to turn an eight-shot deficit into a two-shot victory in Shanghai.
The Englishman was still six shots off the lead at the turn on the final day, but he made five birdies on the back nine which propelled him to his second World Golf Championship title as Johnson carded three bogeys in five holes from the 12th and slipped into a share of second with Brooks Koepka and Henrik Stenson.
Rose had started the week a lowly 10th on the Race to Dubai standings, but he followed his win in China with another the following week at the Turkish Airlines Open to ensure the battle for the European No 1 crown went down to the wire.
The world No 6 looked certain to pip Tommy Fleetwood as he led the season-ending DP World Tour Championship with just seven holes remaining, but Rose dropped shots at 12, 14 and 16 before a birdie at the last was not enough to win his second Harry Vardon Trophy.
"It's fantastic to be named Hilton Golfer of the Month for October," said Rose, who is back in action alongside Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia at this week's UBS Hong Kong Open.
"Sunday at the WGC-HSBC Champions was the kind of day you hope and dream for. Whenever you come out on top of a leaderboard featuring the top players in the world, it gives a tournament victory even more meaning.
"It set up a really exciting end to the Race to Dubai, and although it ultimately wasn't to be for me, it has all been part of a great year."
In the award voted for by a panel of golfing journalists, Rose came out on top ahead of fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton and British Masters champion Paul Dunne.
Hatton also won on back-to-back starts, becoming the first man to successfully defend the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship before he birdied the 72nd hole to snatch the Italian Open title ahead of Ross Fisher.
Dunne defied huge pressure from a fast-finishing Rory McIlroy to clinch his maiden European Tour title at Close House, where he fired a sensational final-round 61 to finish three strokes ahead of the four-time major champion.
