Justin Rose targets second Order of Merit title ahead of Italian Open
Justin Rose is refusing to rule out winning a second European Tour Order of Merit crown despite labouring in 31st place in the standings and more than 2.2 million points off the lead as the circuit heads into the season’s run-in.
The world No 5 tees it up in Thursday’s first round of the Italian Open in Rome with the ambition of a couple of victories before next month’s finale in the UAE.
“The next four or five weeks for me are really, really important - I feel like I’m in a position where I have to win probably two or three events between now and Dubai to challenge the leaders – but it is possible,” Rose said.
“I am playing in the WGC in Shanghai and the Turkish Airlines Open and have won both of those back-to-back before [in 2017]. So I know what needs to be done. I’ve played okay so far this year, but it's important for me to have a strong finish.”
Rose is joined in the $7 million Rolex Series event at Olgiata Golf Club by home favourite Francesco Molinari as well as the BMW PGA Championship winner Danny Willett and two more high-profile Englishmen in Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.
Shane Lowry, the Open champion, could leapfrog Jon Rahm to return the top of the order of merit, with the Spanish pacesetter not due to play on Tour again until Dubai.
