Justin Rose this week became England's highest-ranked player and is hoping to celebrate his achievement with a place in the US Open.
Rose (pictured) soared 19 places to 62 in the world after finishing third in the Deutsche Bank Open in Germany on Monday, vaulting over Nick Faldo and Lee Westwood in the process.
However, to achieve his dream of appearing in the lucrative US Open in June, he will have to be ranked in the world's top 50 after the Volvo PGA Championships at Wentworth which started yesterday. Finishing in the top three will guarantee a US Open spot.
It is a momentous rise for the Hook golfer who two years ago was ranked 444th, while Westwood was fourth.
Rose was out on the course for his opening round as The Gazette went to press and today he tees off at 8.30am with playing partners Phil Price and Ian Woosnam.
Rose said: "My performance in Germany has put me in the right frame of mind for Wentworth and I am happy with the way I am playing at the moment."
He added: "I will go out there, look to win and take it from there, but looking at the weather it is going to be a tough event."
Talking about being England's number one, he said: "When you think of the number of English people who play the game it is quite an achievement."
Rose was unlucky not to win the Deutsche Bank event as he missed out in a three-way play-off with Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie by one shot.
Woods went on to win the title on the third sudden-death play-off hole.
Rose showed how far his game has improved, even since his first of three Championship wins this year with a fine final round of 67, this after dropping a shot on the second hole.
Rose finished the four rounds with a 19-under-par 269 after rounds of 71, 65, 66 and 67.
The young golfer's last win came earlier in the month when he won the Chunichi Crowns tournament in Japan.
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