Justin Rose confident in bid to end year with record £8.5m payout

James Corrigan
Updated
Justin Rose finished second at the BMW Championship on Sunday - Getty Images North America
Justin Rose finished second at the BMW Championship on Sunday - Getty Images North America

Justin Rose believes a win at this week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta will be sufficient for him to collect £8.5million, which would be the biggest payout in the history of English golf.

The 37-year-old has risen to eighth in the FedEx Cup courtesy of his second place behind the Australian Marc Leishman in Chicago on Sunday, his best finish since losing to Sergio Garcia in the Masters play-off in April.

Only the top five in the FedEx standings are guaranteed to scoop the $10m bonus if they win the East Lake tournament, but Rose thinks his first win of the year would be enough.

“I feel good about being in eighth,” Rose said. “I’ve given myself a realistic chance. The guys in the top five still have to have a really good week to beat you out. I won’t be totally in control of own destiny in Atlanta, but it’s not far off.”

Rose appears to be peaking at the right time in his FedEx push. After missing the cut at the USPGA Championship, Rose recorded two 10th places in the first two FedEx events and followed this up with his fine performance at the BMW Championship.

Rory McIlroy - Credit: getty images
Rory McIlroy is preparing for a break from the sport Credit: getty images

Starting the day seven behind Leishman, Rose got to within two, before Leishman lengthened clear to win by five, breaking Tiger Woods’s tournament scoring record on 23-under.

“It's a lot better than it was three weeks ago - it's been a nice play-off run,” Rose said. “If I can keep trending the way I have, I have a chance.”

Rose’s countryman Paul Casey is in 10th in the standings and would also fancy his chances of landing the jackpot should he prevail in the 30-man field.

Rory McIlroy will not be in Atlanta, however. Last year’s FedEx champion could only finish in 58th in Chicago. He has fallen to eighth in the world, his lowest position in more than three years. McIlroy, 28, has one last event left to play in 2017 – the Dunhill Links Championship – before taking a three-and-a-half month break. He looks desperate for the rest, both physically and mentally.