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USGA CHAMPIONS

Another Sunday Best for Rose

By David Shefter, USGA

| Nov 6, 2017 | Far Hills, N.J.

2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose has had every reason to celebrate with his on-course performances the last two weeks. (USGA/Darren Carroll)

This time, the deficit heading into the final round wasn’t as large, but the Sunday performance was just as impressive for Justin Rose.

The 2013 U.S. Open champion, who came from eight strokes back in winning last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in the People’s Republic of China, carded a 6-under-par 65 to edge 54-hole leader Nicolas Colsaerts and Dylan Frittelli by one stroke in the Turkish Airlines Open at Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort. Last week, Rose, 37, of England, closed with a back-nine 31. This week, he fired a 4-under 33 over the last nine holes to post 18-under 266.

With the victory, Rose moved closer to leader Tommy Fleetwood in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai with only two events remaining. The two are now 1-2 heading into next week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa. The Race concludes with the DP World Tour Championship Nov. 16-19 in Dubai. Rose plans to take next week off before playing the season finale.

“I’m banking on trying to freshen up and continue my good form and momentum in Dubai,” said Rose. “I’m focusing on a win there and Tommy's going to have to play some good golf next week and in Dubai. If he does, then hats off to him.”

Rose’s 10-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole sealed Sunday’s victory in Turkey. Colsaerts, playing alongside Rose, had a chance to force a playoff with an 8-foot putt, but couldn’t convert his fourth consecutive birdie.

Rose, the gold medalist in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, now has 20 worldwide professional victories, 11 of which have come on the European Tour.

Passing Grade

Gunn Yang, the 2014 U.S. Amateur champion, will be playing on the Web.com Tour next season. The only question now is what kind of status the 24-year-old from the Republic of Korea will have.

Yang, who turned professional earlier this year after finishing his career at San Diego State University, advanced to the final stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School after tying for 11th in a second-stage qualifier last week at Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta, Calif. The low 20 scorers and ties qualified for the final stage in Chandler, Ariz., where everyone is guaranteed at least conditional status on the Web.com Tour, the PGA Tour’s developmental circuit. Yang posted rounds of 72-70-68-71 for a 72-hole total of 1-under 281.

Also advancing from that qualifier was 2017 USA Walker Cup Team competitor Cameron Champ, of Sacramento, Calif., who competed as an amateur. Champ, one of two amateurs to make the cut in this year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills, is a senior at Texas A&M University.

The low 45 finishers and ties in the final stage, scheduled for Dec. 7-10, will earn full Web.com Tour status to start 2018.

David Shefter is a senior staff writer for the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org.

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