It will be a brief return to the top spot for Rose, however, as the closeness of the Official World Golf Ranking points system ensures Brooks Koepka will be No.1 again this time next week.
A continuing commitment to variety and innovation will also play a significant part in the schedule that concludes with the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next November.
The win is only the Spaniard’s third (the Singapore Masters on the Asian Tour is the other) since he donned the green jacket at Augusta National 18 months ago.
With four points from a possible four so far in this 42nd Ryder Cup, no pair has ever contributed more to a European cause at any of the previous biennial battles than close pals Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood.
Thomas Bjorn faced a big decision: should he stick with the original plan and show faith in his charismatic talisman, Rory McIlroy? Or should he consign the clearly struggling Irishman to the sidelines for the afternoon foursomes?
With seven automatic qualifiers for the European Ryder Cup team already in place, Thorbjorn Olesen’s T-20 finish was enough to claim the eighth and final spot
To win on the same green where his late compatriot, Seve Ballesteros, had indulged in one of golf’s most iconic celebrations was, for the 54-year-old, a clearly emotional experience.
Australian Golf Digest
