Miami triumph puts Rose back on course for Ryder Cup return

A week after Rory McIlroy went to No 1 by capturing the Honda Classic, Rose leapt from 22nd to seventh with his one-stroke victory over American Bubba Watson at the Cadillac Championship – the second of this season’s world championships.

It was the 31-year-old’s fourth success on the US PGA Tour, putting him alongside Tony Jacklin and Luke Donald with Sir Nick Faldo the only English player remaining ahead of him with nine.

Six of those were majors, of course – three Opens and three Masters – and just like Donald they are now the targets for Rose.

If there is one favourite for the Augusta in three weeks, however, it has to be McIlroy, especially with Tiger Woods pulling out injured after 11 holes of his final round in Miami.

The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland, eight shots adrift teeing off and joint eighth, came through to third with a 67. He has finished outside the top five only once since last August.

McIlroy was just one behind at one point, but in the end it was Watson who gave Rose most cause for concern after his own bogey on the final hole had left him 16 under par.

The left-hander, twice in water early on as he tossed away a three-stroke overnight, came to the last one behind and hit a shot from the rough to nine feet on one of golf’s hardest holes.

“It had me sweating,” said Rose, who had to prepare himself mentally for a play-off until Watson missed his birdie attempt.

The victory, worth over £875,000, put Rose on course for a Ryder Cup return after being left out by Colin Montgomerie in 2010 despite two wins in the US that summer.

First things first, though, and that means preparing himself for Augusta.

He was only one behind with two to play in 2007, but double-bogeyed the 17th and came fifth.

His best finish in a major remains his fourth place as a 17-year-old amateur at the 1998 Open – a performance that was followed by 21 successive missed cuts at the start of his professional career.

“There’s going to be a lot of expectation on Rory and on Tiger as there always is,” said Rose, who did not know about the former world No 1’s Achilles tendon problem until afterwards.

“Hopefully, he’s holding himself back for the Masters and didn’t want to do any more damage.

“After this win I suppose I’m in the mix of players to talk about, but it’s all part of being a pro. I don’t think it will change the way I’m going to approach anything.”

After two days of spectacular low scoring, Rose won with a two- under-par 70.