Rose in bid to end season with win in Turkey

Justin Rose is aiming to make up for what, by his standards, has been a disappointing season by joining an elite group of players with a third straight victory in the Turkish Airlines Open.

Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Colin Montgomerie are the only players to have won a regular European Tour event three years in succession, while Tiger Woods won the WGCBridgestone Invitational from 2005 to 2007.

Rose became world number one for the second time with the first successful title defence of his career in Turkey last year, when he defeated China’s Haotong Li on the first play-off hole at the Regnum Carya Resort.

The Olympic champion is a combined 55 under

“I’ve basically been trying to fix my game on the road”

par for his 12 rounds in the event after finishing third on his debut in 2013.

Then, former Ryder Cup team-mate Victor Dubuisson claimed the first of his two wins in three years at this year’s venue, the Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

“I think that my season’s been slightly disappointing for the most part,” Rose said.

“I’ve basically been trying to fix my game on the road a little bit, just the way weeks off have been.

“I’ve battled with that a little bit but at the same time I’ve won this year, so you can never really turn your nose up at that. If I was to win this week, a multiple-win season is certainly never a bad year.

“Obviously last year was a first for me to defend (a title) and now it offers me the opportunity to go three in a row, and be in some illustrious company.

“It’s definitely a focus for me and an inspiration and something I’m going to enjoy trying to achieve.”