Justin Rose will be lookng to join Faldo, Monty and Woosie, as only players to have won a regular European Tour event three years in a row. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

AS twice-defending champion, Justin Rose is bidding to join a list of European Tour greats as he returns to the Turkish Airlines Open.

If the North Hants GC member were to successfully defend his title for the second year in a row, Rose would join Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam as the only players to achieve the feat of winning a non-Major or WGC event in three consecutive years.

The 2013 US Open Champion and 2016 Olympic Gold Medallist finished one stroke ahead of Nicolas Colsaerts and Dylan Frittelli in 2017, before defeating Li Haotong in a play-off last year to defend a title for the first time in his career.

Rose said: “You don’t get the opportunity to do that very often, so three-peat would clearly be a first for me.

“There’s a great list of players to maybe join on the European Tour, I believe it’s Monty, Faldo and Ian Woosnam – really illustrious company.

“Turkey has been a wonderful spot for me. I’ve been lucky to play well here every time I’ve been, going back to 2012.

“Played this venue in 2013, had my worst finish, third, so I need to step that up to keep my current record going.

“It’s an exciting week for me, obviously trying to go three in a row which is something I’ve never done in my career.

“I guess that’s the focus but also, you can never really approach a tournament that way,” Rose added.

“I’ve got to try and take care of business, make sure I’m prepared and get my game in good shape and then commit to the plan.

“I’m driving the ball quite well at the moment, probably my highlight of the game at the minute along with my putting.

“If I can get my mid-irons going – and maybe some five-woods and long irons into the par fives – and try to take advantage of them, obviously set up some low scoring.

“The weather is always perfect in Turkey, which generally leads to low scores.”

But, as the 2019 Race to Dubai nears its climax, Rose faces stiff competition at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal as the fight to become European No. 1 continues at the sixth Rolex Series event of the 2019 Race to Dubai season.

Rose will play alongside current Race to Dubai rankings leader Bernd Wiesberger and reigning Open Champion Shane Lowry, who sits in third on the rankings, for the first round.

Wiesberger, a winner of two Rolex Series events in 2019 after his return from a wrist injury – the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open and Italian Open – leads the standings by just over 300 points with just three events to play.

“It would be amazing to win the Race to Dubai, said Wiesberger. “It’s an unbelievable list of legends, and of European golf, and world golf, that’s on that list.

“To have the chance to put my name among them would be amazing. I’m looking forward to these next events, and we’re definitely going to give it our all.

“Jon and Shane are two and three still, but Rory had a great win last week and made up a lot of points.

“We are in good position going into the last events and looking forward to what’s ahead – and hopefully giving us a good look at some decent results in all three of them,” Wiesberger added.

The winner of the Turkish Airlines Open will receive 1,500 points, with the winners of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and DP World Tour Championship, Dubai receiving 1,665 and 2,000 points respectively.

•For live scoring from the Turkish Airlines Open click here.

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Austria’s Bern Wiesberger added the Italian Open to his Made in Denmark and Scottish Open victories in 2019. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BERND Wiesberger claimed his second Rolex Series title of 2019 and third European Tour victory of the season with a hard-fought victory in the Italian Open.

The Austrian started the day three shots behind overnight leader Matthew Fitzpatrick, but carded a bogey-free final round of 65 to finish one shot clear of the Yorkshireman on 16-under.

Wiesberger, who now has a realistic chance of ending the season as the European No. 1, said: “It’s been a great summer for me. I’ve had a lot of good golf shown and a lot of progress after coming back from the last year.

“I’ve won three times this year and it’s been the same every time, I’ve just really enjoyed my time and I’m positive to be back out there because I know how tough it was when I had to withdraw from these great events.

“I’ve played really well in the right events in Ireland and the Scottish and here this week which helps getting up there in the Race to Dubai. I feel excited about what is ahead of us in these last four events.”

Wiesberger posted three consecutive birdies from the fifth hole followed by a further gain on the ninth.

And he went to the top of the leaderboard when Fitzpatrick, who had birdied the second, hit it out of bounds on the ninth leading to a double bogey.

He looked comfortably in control on the back nine with birdies on the 14th and 16th holes.

But Fitzpatrick staged an impressive fightback with three birdies in his final six holes, however the former Ryder Cup player could not find another on the last as he came up one stroke short.

That meant Wiesberger became the fifth player to win multiple Rolex Series titles after his maiden win in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, in July.

Wiesberger joins John Rahm, Justin Rose, Alex Noren and Danny Willett as multiple Rolex Series winners.

The 34-year-old now leads the European Tour’s Race to Dubai with just six events remaining, having also won May’s Made in Denmark following seven months on the sidelines in 2018 due to a wrist injury.

Fitzpatrick signed for a round of 69 for a total of 15-under as he finished runner-up for the fourth time this season, having also come second in the Honma Hong Kong Open, the BMW International and the Scandinavian Invitation.

A disappointed Fitzpatrick said: “To lose by one is obviously very disappointing.

“I think I’ve played well when I’ve been up there on a Sunday, just other people really keep grinding and I keep coming up from behind.

“It is what it is. It’s still a great week, I’m here to win and not here to just make up the numbers.”

American Kurt Kitayama finished third on 12-under after a 71, a shot clear of Middlesex’s Andrew Johnston (68), Scot Robert MacIntyre (71) and another Austrian in Matthias Schwab (66), who shared fourth on 11-under.

Francesco Laporta posted a final round 68 to finish as the leading Italian player in a three-way share of seventh place.

•For the final results in the Italian Open click here.

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Austrian Bernd Wiesberger claimed his second victory of the year – and the first Rolex Series title of his carrer – after beating Frenchman Benjamin Hebert in a play-off at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BERND Wiesberger secured his first Rolex Series title after defeating France’s Benjamin Hebert in a thrilling play-off at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.

The Austrian, who was runner-up at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open just seven days ago, was not to be denied for a second consecutive week as he triumphed over Hebert with a par on the third extra hole at The Renaissance Club, at North Berwick.

The 33-year-old held a two-stroke lead after 54 holes, but Hebert set the clubhouse target on 22-under par after a stunning nine-under round of 62. Wiesberger then joined him on that total after his round of 69.

The pair parred the first two play-off holes, but Wiesberger tapped in for par from four feet to win his second title of the season after Made in Denmark in May – and moved to the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings.

A delighted Wiesberger, who picked up a cheque for €1,035,099, the biggest of his career which has seen him earn nearly €12million, said: “I knew it wasn’t going to come easy for me. I had a great, great warm-up this morning, flushing the ball. It just got a little tough out there for me.

“I just dug in there. Obviously I would have loved to seal it off with a couple of pars coming in, but sometimes it just tests you.

“A great week from Benjamin. He could have just snatched it off me on the first two holes, as well, and just very grateful for how it turned out for us this week.

“I wasn’t in this tournament eight days ago. You know, I had a great week in Ireland and sealed my spot, and what a week this is. Just take a lot of confidence out of the last two weeks into the final major this year.

“I’ve always enjoyed coming to the links, Scottish links, and I’ve had nice success here in Scotland and it’s just really, really nice to be able to stand here with the trophy at the end of the day.

“It was a long day, but somehow managed,” added Wiesberger, who suffered a long-term wrist injury last year that forced him to miss seven months of the season.

There was a consolation prize for Hebert, who earned his place at this week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

Hebert said: “I was looking for The Open spot, for sure I was chasing this spot, so I’m happy, first.

“I’m very happy as next week will be my first Major Championship as a professional. It was a goal for me actually this season to play in a Major.

“I played in The Open in 2008 but I was an amateur. It was a long time ago.”

Hebert, who earned an exemption at Royal Birkdale as the reigning European Amateur Champion, will be joined in Northern Ireland by Italian Nino Bertasio and Middlesex’s Andrew Johnston, who finished in a share of fourth place.

Beef, who has spoken about his mental health issues that have affected his game over the past year, carded the lowest round of his European Tour career and jumped up 34 places on the leaderboard.

With two holes to play, the Londoner who became the galleries’ favourite at the 2016 Open at Royal Troon, needed two birides to card just the second 59 in Euorpean Tour history, but finished with a bogey after shaving the hole from 15 feet on the 17th.

That left the former Middlesex amateur, who was a member at Wentworth before turning pro as well as his home course North Middlesex, in a share of top spot until Wiesberger and Herbert pulled clear of the chasing pack.

Frenchman Romain Langasque – who won the 2015 Amateur Champinship at Carnoustie, finished third on 20-under – one stroke ahead of Bertasio, Johnston, 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, Italy’s Andrea Pavan and American Andrew Putnam.

Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello, South African George Coetzee, Welshman Jamie Donaldson, England’s Lee Slattery and American Justin Thomas finished on 18-under.

•THERE was a historic moment earlier in the day as Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor won the inaugural EDGA Scottish Open, a new 36-hole tournament for players with disability, which saw 10 players tackle the same set up at The Renaissance Club as the European Tour field.

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Austrian Bern Wiesberger shot a superb 61 – his lowest round on the European Tour – in the second round of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open – to share the lead with Lee Slattery and South African Erik Van Rooyen. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

The Austrian, whose previous low round was 63, made 11 birdies – including five in a row to end his round – to sign for a 10-under par 61.

He tops the leaderboard going into the weekend at the third Rolex Series event of the season at 14-under par alongside Englishman Lee Slattery and South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen, who carded matching rounds of 64.

Wiesberger said: “Walking down the last, I was nine-under and had a chance to go to 10.

“I haven’t shot 10 in a professional event yet, so that was a nice bonus. It’s just going with the flow and things worked out very well – not thinking too much and just keep doing what I’m doing.

“I had a couple of chances out there and just took the last five quite nicely. I played quite solid – nothing out of the ordinary.

“I hit a lot of shots quite close and obviously coming in, finishing off with five birdies is a bonus but it was a good day out there. I kept controlling my golf ball and took the chances when I had to take them.”

Wiesberger, who returned from a wrist injury at the end of 2018, won his fifth European Tour title at Made in Denmark in May and was second at last week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

Slattery who has not won since the 2015 Russian Open, said: “I feel like all the hard work I’ve put in over the winter is starting to pay off now and just trying to finish the season off strong.

“A lot of Rolex Series events to play and I feel I need to push this finish part of the season.

“I didn’t play too much in the early part of the year which is different for me. Spent more time with the family.

“Got a young family and felt like it was important to spend more time with them this winter. Did a lot of gym work at home and I feel like the game is starting to come together a little bit.”

Erik van Rooyen who is looking for his maiden European Tour win after success on the Challenge and Sunshine Tours, said: “It felt easy today, and it felt easy yesterday.

“When you’re playing well, it just comes naturally. And when you don’t — I missed the cut last week, it kind of feels hard. It’s great to go back-to-back seven-under.

“I had a good season last year, and I feel like we’re just building upon that. A couple of good finishes this year, as well, and it’s just fun to play back-to-back good rounds.”

The 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson and Nino Bertasio of Italy are two shots behind the leading trio.

Stenson, who has not won since claiming that Claret Jug at Royal Troon, said: “It was the same as yesterday, six birdies and no bogeys, so that’s always pleasing when you play 36 holes without dropping a shot.

“I’m just trying to keep up with the guys at the top of the leaderboard, and so far I’m pleased with the way I’ve played.

“A lot of good tee shots. A lot of good approaches and solid putting on the greens, even though I let one or two good chances slip by here on the back nine, I’m still pleased where I’m positioned after two rounds.”

American Justin Thomas, making his Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open debut this week, shares sixth on 11-under with Italian pair Lorenzo Gagli and two-time winner Guido Migliozzi, going for a hat-trick of victories in 2019. plus Finn Kalle Samooja and Spaniard Adrian Otaegui.

Calum Hill is the leading Scotsman on 10-under alongside 10 others, including Ryder Cup players Matt Fitzpatrick, Edoardo Molinari, Thomas Pieters and Ian Poulter.

Follow lives scoring here

•MORE than one trophy will be up for grabs over the weekend, as the ground-breaking inaugural EDGA Scottish Open takes place at The Renaissance Club.

Ten golfers from the World Rankings for Golfers with Disability will compete in the 36-hole EDGA Scottish Open, teeing off approximately two hours before the first tee in the final two rounds of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.

The post Wiesberger gets 10-out-of-10 for sharing Scottish Open lead with Slattery after a 61 appeared first on Golf North.

Jon Rahm claimed his second Irish Open and third Rolex Series tournament with a two-shot win over Andy Sullivan, Eddie Pepperell and Rafa Cabrera-Bello at Lahinch, in front of sell-out weekend crowd in County Clare. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JON Rahm carded a sizzling 62 in the final round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open to become the first player to win three Rolex Series titles in front of sell-out crowds at the famed Lahinch Golf Club.

The Spaniard entered the final day five strokes behind leader Robert Rock but stormed to the top of the leaderboard after carding an eagle and eight birdies to get to 16-under – and win the Irish Open for the second time.

Rahm said: “I keep saying, I love is this tournament. I love this country. I love the people and feel like I’m at home every time I come.

“My game was in great form, it just didn’t show the first two days. I couldn’t hole the putts, and the weekend was the complete opposite.

“Putts started rolling in from everywhere, I felt really confident and I knew I could do something.

“I knew I had to do it today to have a chance, and man, I kept looking at the leaderboard and looking up, and after 10, I’m like okay, let’s get a good run and that eagle on 12 just completely got me going.

“Even though I had the little mistake on 13, I just knew that my target number was 15-under.

“Definitely thrilled with the back nine I had. Me and Adam (caddie) did a lot of work over the weekend to polish the mistakes over the first few days,” added Rahm who admitted he was excited to repeat his win in front of the Irish galleries and match the achievement of his hero Seve Ballesteros.

Rahm added: “I think Seve was the only Spanish player to win more than one and to join my name to that trophy again, it’s special.

“It’s probably one of my favourite trophies that I have at home, and to have another one, it’s definitely a special moment. I don’t know how to explain it.”

It was two years ago that Rahm lifted the trophy in his rookie season for a maiden European Tour win.

Rahm now has four titles to his name, with three of those coming in the prestigious Rolex Series – after just his 34th appearance.

The victory moves the 24-year-old to the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings and also takes him back into the top 10 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and England’s Andy Sullivan finished two off the lead, a shot clear of two more Englishmen – Oxfordshire’s Eddie Pepperell and Robert Rock – and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello.

Sullivan, who has been slowly finding his form after achieving three wins in 2015 to earn a Ryder Cup place, said: “I just managed to get it around a number really. Stuck in there well. Mentally I was very good.

“I chipped and putted it around nicely. Not my best, but I was really happy to come up with the score I did and finish my round.

“It is getting better, I must admit. It’s starting to come back to when I was playing my best in 2015. Hopefully more of the same trending that way and I can get my hands on the trophy.”

Wiesberger and Rock earned places in the field at next week’s 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club, with their top 10 performances, as did England’s Paul Waring, who finished at 12-under along with another Spaniard in Jorge Campillo.

Wiesberger, looking for a second win in 2019 after his triumph at the Made in Denmark after a spell distrupted by injury, said: “I had a lot of time to reflect and work on some things on my game.

“A lot on the mental state I want to be out on the golf course and it’s a lot better. It’s just nice to see it pay off every now and then and getting to play a couple rounds in the 60s, seeing myself on the leaderboard again, it’s very nice.

“We’ve done a lot of good things out there this week and hopefully we can get do well next week in Scotland and then in Ireland.

“That was the goal. It was lovely to get a sniff at it again at Pebble Beach for the qualifier, and it’s great to be in position to play with all these guys in the biggest events, and there’s no bigger than The Open Championship and the Majors.

“I was really relaxed all week and enjoyed my time out there and took advantage of my good shots and really happy to be going to Portrush.”

The event at Lahinch GC, emulated 2012 at Royal Portrush Golf Club, by selling out both Saturday and Sunday – crowds totallling 86,793 came through the gates at the famous Old Course links.

Colm McLoughlin, chief executive of Dubai Duty Free, said: “That was another fantastic edition of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, and Jon Rahm is a worthy winner.

“This has been a wonderful week of sport, festivity and fun, there were sell-out crowds and a fantastic atmosphere both at the golf and in the village.

“I would like to thank and congratulate Paul McGinley, Lahinch Golf Club, the European Tour, Clare County Council, the local community and all who worked so hard and partnered with us to make this tournament so special.”

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