Fleetwood wilts in the desert as Rose blossoms

TALK about a day filled with drama. Showing the verve of a major champion and the confidence of a man who has won his last two events, Justin Rose shifted the tables spectacularly on Tommy Fleetwood with a firstround 66 in the DP World Tour Championship to become the new Race to Dubai leader with three rounds to play. The younger man, by contrast, showed the nerves of a player not used to trying to close out the Order of Merit. Fleetwood shot 73 and was thankful he has 54 holes to repair the damage. At least he has not lost his sense of humour, saying: ‘I don’t know how much longer Justin is going to keep playing flawless golf but I wish he’d stop because he’s doing my head in.’ Watching Fleetwood at times was painful. The last player out of the 60 competing to reach the first tee, the 26-year-old became the only one to walk off the green with a double bogey. All those dreams of a stately walk to the biggest honour of his career, dashed by one of the worst holes he has played all year. Fleetwood recovered from being three over after three with a marvellous eagle at the par-five seventh but the mistakes kept coming. Watching Rose at close to his mighty best didn’t help, of course. He barely missed a shot all day and was blessed with fortune as well, as a beautifully played bunker shot at the 14th trickled into the hole for an eagle of his own. He began knowing he needs to finish in the top four to have any chance of toppling Fleetwood and stands second behind Patrick Reed. The day ended with much debate for the 19th hole. Will it help Fleetwood that he no longer has a target on his back? He is in need of a low one today to prevent the weekend being a painful experience where his fate depends on Rose’s slip-ups. LUKE DONALD pulled out of the RSM Classic in Georgia yesterday after going to hospital with chest pains. The 39-year-old later posted online: ‘After 7 hours of tests all looks good with my heart thankfully.’