A FLU-RIDDEN Justin Rose was unable to end his 2003 European Tour campaign on the winning note he aimed for in Spain last week.

Illness meant the 23-year-old was never on top of his game competing in the Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

Rose travelled to the event the day after the Justin Rose Golf Day at Wentworth last Monday but, after his opening round of 73 (+1) on Thursday, fell victim to the flu.

He was laid up in bed all day on Friday, which worked out well given play was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Strong medicine got him through the tournament, though Rose said it was a real struggle to complete two rounds on the Saturday. He shot 74 (+2) and 77 (+5). His final round was a four-over-par 76.

Rose said: "I think the flu really caught up with me on Sunday, as I frittered shots away all over the place.

"It seemed whenever I missed a green I failed to get up and down and that left me almost where I started, at tied 44th.

"I got off to the worst start - bogey, bogey, then birdied 4 and 5 to get back to level, only to bogey 6, 7 and 10 and so it went on."

Rose flew back home to recover before he tees up for Great Britain and Ireland, under Colin Mont-gomerie's captaincy, against a European team marshalled by Seve Ballesteros, over the next few days.

The two teams are in El Saler, Valencia, to compete for the Seve Trophy.

Great Britain and Ireland are the defending champions of the biennial match which is being held in back-to-back years after the Ryder Cup was rescheduled following the September 11 atrocities.

Europe won the inaugural event in 2000, and the event is being shown by the BBC today and over the weekend.

Continental Europe: Seve Ballesteros (captain), Thomas Bjorn, Fredrik Jacobson, Sergio Garcia, Alex Cejka, Ignacio Garrido, Raphael Jacquelin, Niclas Fasth, Miguel Angel Jimenez. Wild card: Jose Maria Olazabal.

Britain and Ireland: Colin Montgomerie (captain), David Howell, Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Phillip Price, Brian Davis. Wild card: Paul Lawrie.