IT’S JUSTIN TIME

JUSTIN ROSE grabbing back-toback wins was the last thing Tommy Fleetwood wanted in the Race to Dubai – but Ryder Cup skipper Thomas Bjorn is delighted.

Rose was 10th on the money list before banking more than 2.3million points with victories in China and Turkey to slash Fleetwood’s lead and set up a desert showdown in tomorrow’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

And with both wins counting towards Ryder Cup qualification, Rose is already close to sealing his place on the European side that will look to regain the trophy at Le Golf National in Paris next year.

Bjorn said: “You want to get a couple of your top players off to a start and for Justin especially it was a crucial time. He doesn’t want to be playing catch-up. He wants to get it out of the way.”

But Rory McIlroy, sitting 23rd, is on a break until January to fully recover from his rib injury. And Bjorn added: “He can come out early next year ready to play on an even playing field with everybody else.”