If Justin Rose needed any holiday motivation, he got it on Sunday in Indonesia.
Needing a T16 finish or better at the BNI Indonesian Masters to round out 2018 atop the Official World Golf Rankings, Rose stumbled to his worst round of the year — a 3-over par 75 — to fall from 9-under par to 6-under par for the tournament, resulting in a T17 finish when an even-par round would have been enough to salvage a T7.
Rose’s final round of the calendar year was ugly from the start, beginning his day bogey-double bogey. A pair of birdies around the turn signaled signs of hope, but the par-5 12th hole proved to be his undoing. Using a putter from just off the green, Rose needed five strokes to get down, resulting in a triple-bogey 8.
He followed the triple up with his third bogey of the day to sit on 6-over par for his round through 13 holes. He made three birdies down the stretch to make a last-ditch effort at a top-15, but he ultimately fell a shot short.
As a result of his T17 finish, Rose will end the year 0.0036 average points behind Brooks Kopeka.
What’s worse, had Rose simply opted to not play in the event — which he won last year by eight shots — he would have ascended to the top of the world rankings.
All credit to @JustinRose99 and team?for travelling to the other side of the world to defend his title at #IM2018. It would’ve been very easy to just stay home, which would’ve lifted him automatically to No.1 in the world after this week and until the end of the year… #OWGR
— Nosferatu (@VC606) December 16, 2018
Poom Saksansin of Thailand won the event at 20-under par, six strokes better than Henrik Stenson, who finished fourth place.
