Rose takes huge step towards unlikely Race to Dubai triumph

American Patrick Reed overcame a back injury to lead after the first round of the DP World Championship in Dubai as Justin Rose took a massive step closer to a remarkable Race to Dubai triumph.

Reed carded a flawless 65 at Jumeirah Golf Estates to finish seven under par, a shot ahead of Rose and Australia’s Scott Hend, with defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick part of a six-strong group on five under.

Rose was a distant 10th in the money list until claiming more than 2.3 million points with backto-back victories in China and Turkey, and came into the week trailing long-time leader Tommy Fleetwood by 256,738.

That means the Olympic champion needs at least a top-five finish to overhaul Fleetwood, whose 73 suffered hugely in comparison with another superb display from playing partner Rose.

Fleetwood said: “He played flawless golf. I don’t know how long he’s going to keep doing this for but it’s doing my head in.

“To do well I have to improve things myself. I can’t go out and play my round and then go out and watch him and hope he doesn’t do very well.”

Fleetwood admitted he was feeling the pressure as he doublebogeyed the first and dropped another shot on the third, but an eagle on the seventh helped him get back to level par before a three-putt bogey on the 17th.

Rose’s only bogey also came via a three-putt on the ninth, but the 37-year-old holed out from a bunker on the 14th for an eagle in a back nine of 31 and admitted he was now the man to catch.

“It’s probably shifted but tomorrow could be a whole other day,” Rose said.

“This was not really on the radar a month ago. That’s the perspective that I have to keep because it’s an opportunity for me. (It would) certainly be easy to start to think about it now as being in my hands, but I think for me it’s still a bonus at this point.”

Ryder Cup star Reed might have something to say about that, with the world number 23 intent on making the most of his surprise place in the field.

Reed thought he had not played enough events to retain his European Tour membership, only to be told that the Presidents Cup counted towards the requirement of five.

Top Scots were Marc Warren and Richie Ramsay on level par, with David Drysdale one shot worse off and Scott Jamieson four over after a 76.

He played flawless golf. I don’t know how long he’s going to keep doing this for but it’s doing my head in. TOMMY FLEETWOOD ON JUSTIN ROSE

Picture: AP. Justin Rose is making a charge in the Race to Dubai.