Penalty fails to put Rose off his stroke in chase of leader Santos

Runner-up to Jamie Donaldson in Abu Dhabi last week, Rose had to be content with a four under par 68 after he was penalised a foot from the hole on the short 17th.

England’s world No 4 had missed his birdie attempt and was addressing the ball ready to tap in when he noticed it moved a fraction.

European Tour referee Paul Carrigill, himself a former player on the circuit, was called and with no wind to blame for the change in position he imposed the extra shot and told Rose to move the ball back before continuing.

The incident did not unsettle him, however. After holing for a bogey four the 32-year-old found the green in two at the 589-yard last and two-putted for his sixth birdie.

One of Rose’s playing partners was Ryder Cup teammate Martin Kaymer. He was playing with Tiger Woods last Friday when the American incurred a two-stroke penalty for taking a wrong drop and missed the halfway cut because of it.

Rose said he felt “completely hard done by”, but accepted the penalty was correct.

“To cut to the chase, the greens aren’t perfect and have a lot of ridges and humps and hollows,” he said. “It was just unfortunate timing that as I put my putter behind the ball, which I know didn’t cause the ball to move, the ball was finding some indentation. I’m deemed to have caused it to move even though in your heart of hearts you know you haven’t.

“There has been a change in the rule, but that only applies to a wind gust, when you are allowed to place it back without penalty. Unfortunately I was on the wrong end of it, but I guess that’s the good thing about golf – you have to self-police out there.”

Santos, whose victory in Madeira last May made him the first Portuguese winner for 20 years and earned him the Rookie of the Year trophy, finished one in front of England’s Anthony Wall, Scot Peter Whiteford and Frenchman Alexandre Kaleka.

Kaymer matched Rose’s 68, while world No 5 Louis Oosthuizen finished with a double-bogey seven for a 71.

Sergio Garcia started his season with a 69, but defending champion Paul Lawrie and Open champion Ernie Els could do no better than 72.

Malton’s Simon Dyson opened with a competitive one under par 71, while Harrogate’s John Parry shot a level par 72. Hull’s Richard Finch begins the second round at two over after an opening 74