DUBAI, U.A.E. — First, Justin rose. Then he fell. With seven holes to play in the DP World Tour Championship things were looking good for the 2013 U.S. Open champion. Four under par for the day and 19 under for the week, Rose led the European Tour’s season-ending tournament by two shots and, not incidentally, looked a sure thing to top the Race to Dubai—a.k.a. the money-list—which was the Order of Merit in 2007, the last time the 37-year-old Englishman was anointed Europe’s No. 1 player.It was just about then, however, that the body of the man who had won his previous two European Tour events was apparently invaded by an alien being, one playing off a 5-handicap. Maybe 6.
Three bogeys in five holes quickly followed amidst a flurry of poor shots and decision-making, as Rose sank to a T-4 finish, two shots behind the eventual champion, Jon Rahm. Perhaps even more painfully, Rose’s sudden demise was also enough to allow a briefly but equally inept Tommy Fleetwood—the hirsute Englishman was himself three over par for the last seven holes—to claim the top spot on the Race to Dubai and the $1.25 million bonus.Needing an eagle on the par-5 18th to at least make the money-list title his own, Rose could do no better than make birdie. The eventual difference between him and Fleetwood was that one shot and, in economic terms, €58,821 (€4,318,916 versus €4,260,095).