Justin Rose captured a $1.5 Turkish winning delight in defeating fellow England golfer Lee Westwood by a stroke to capture the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final in Belek.
The World No. 5 ranked Rose shot a round of a six under par 66 to defeat Westwood by a stroke.
Rose was never headed in the race to the $US 1.5m first prize cheque in firstly birdieing the opening hole and then to be three under par after nine holes and one shot clear of his World No. 4 ranked rival.
Justin Rose confessed he nearly strained a muscle in his arm in lifting the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final trophy. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
Westwood then birdied the 16th to get back to one behind Rose before Rose shut out the match holing a 20-foot putt for birdie at the 17th, and a near similar length putt he holed at the same hole in the Singles at Medinah to turn around his match against USA rival Phil Mickelson.
A day earlier, Rose had chipped in at the 17th on the Sultan course at the Antalya Club, to deny Tiger Woods a place in the final of the $US 5.2m event
“The 17th green has been really good to me this week as I holed my second shot there yesterday and, of course, the 17th at Medinah turned around my match against Phil,” he said.
“But you have to be pleased to go through this whole week after winning all my five matches.
“So to not get beaten at all in the group stage and then to win the two finals is a great feeling and it’s been a great week.
“My golf is just so consistent at the moment and the main thing is that I just don’t have any skeletons in the closet, and I don’t have that loose shot that is plaguing me all the time.
“So all aspects of my game can pull through for me at different times and I feel as though I’ve got something every day to lean on.”
The prize cheque is Rose’s highest-ever in his 14-year pro career and $560,000 more than his prize in capturing the 2011 BMW Championship.
Westwood earned a cheque for $1m for his efforts over the three days.
