You’re doing my head in
Rose puts pal Tommy in the shade as Euro race heats up
TOMMY FLEETWOOD last night cursed Race to Dubai rival Justin Rose after his fellow Englishman overtook him in the race to be European No.1.
Rose carded a six-under 66 at the DP World Tour Championship – one behind leader Patrick Reed – to leapfrog his playing partner in the projected rankings heading into day two in Dubai.
The Olympic champion needs at least a top-five finish this week after back-to-back victories in China and Turkey piled pressure on long-time leader Fleetwood.
A double-bogey start and a three-putt bogey on the par-three 17th bookended Fleetwood’s 73 as he watched Rose shine at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Fleetwood said: “It looks worse and feels worse. 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 then go out, watch him and hope he doesn’t do very well.”
The 26-year-old, chasing his first Race to Dubai title, dropped another on the third only for an eagle at seven to get him get back level.
But with just one par in his first five holes after the turn Fleetwood went on to miss from inside three feet at the 17th.
He said: “The start was shocking. I gifted the first with the double, should have made five at worst on the second – I should have made a birdie there. I was giving shots away early on.
“I played all right. It was such an up-and-down day. I missed a
CONNOR SYME will tee up as a European Tour regular next season after graduating from qualifying school in style in Spain.
The 22-year-old, who only turned pro in September, posted a closing 69 for a share of ninth on 17 under after six rounds.
The Fifer said: “I’m delighted to have this opportunity to test myself against the best players in the world. It is going to be cool.
“Halfway through the year I wasn’t even sure I was going to be turning pro but a few months down the line I’ve got a full European Tour card. It’s crazy and I can’t wait to get going.
“When you think about the fact I was playing Walker Cup two months ago, that is just mental.”
couple of short putts, holed a couple of decent ones but I just need to do better. There were a bit of nerves there.
“There’s always going to be – I’ve never been in this position before. “It all comes down to this at the end of the year and playing for the biggest achievement in my career essentially.
“There are three more days. It is kind of out of my hands all of a sudden. I’ve just got to go out and do my best.” Rose, 10th in the money list less than three weeks ago, suffered his only blip of the day on the par-four ninth when three putts saw him card a bogey.
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’s the man to catch.
Rose said: “It’s probably shifted but tomorrow could be a whole other day. This was not really on the radar a month ago.
“That’s the perspective 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 it’s still a bonus at this point.”
Masters champ Sergio Garcia, the only other player who can still be crowned European No.1 on Sunday, carded a two-under 70.
Reed may have no stake in the Race to Dubai but he could have a say in the run-in after a flawless 65 left him one shot better off than Rose and Australia’s Scott Hend.
Scotland’s Marc Warren and Richie Ramsay finished level par with David Drysdale one further back. Two bogeys and a double bogey in his last five holes left Scott Jamieson joint last on four over.