Golf: Rose fails to make the grade

IT WILL be no consolation to Justin Rose but there were those who were worse off than the 18-year-old at the European Tour qualifying school. Morten Backhausen, from Denmark, hit his second shot out of bounds at the par-five 17th, took a triple-bogey seven and missed out on his tour card by one shot. Phil Golding, from South Hertfordshire, saw his tournament end like eight of his past 12 attempts when he came home in 38, two-over-par, to miss by two.

The 38 players who finished at five over or better won their playing privileges on the tour next year. Rose, with a last round 80, did not. Although he holed an eagle putt at the ninth, his final hole, it counted for nothing. Not like the chip-in eagle that took Michele Reale to four over, or the birdie at the last, after bogeys at the previous two holes, from Jeremy Robinson, whose caddie had to tee up his ball and pick it out of the hole due to a severely painful back.

Steve Richardson, the Ryder Cup player, and Richard Boxall used all their experience to regain their cards, while Ross Drummond continued the British winner's circle from around the world, taking the top card because of his last-round 72 after tying with Sweden's Henrik Nystrom at seven under.

Richardson, who holed a four-footer at the last which he thought was vital, said: "That was as tense as the Ryder Cup." Boxall made two birdies, one from a 30-foot putt, and holed from 20 feet for a par in his last three holes. "It was like having to qualify for the Open, but 10 times worse," he said.

"The Qualifying School," said Mac O'Grady, the 47-year-old American who once coached Seve Ballesteros, "tests your patience, skills, emotions and character but not your love of the game."

Rose, who complained of a groin strain that prevented him from turning and releasing properly, could have qualified with a 71 but, starting at the 10th, he went to the turn in 40. The first of seven bogeys came when his second at the 12th found the water and his hopes had already faded by the time he went out of bounds at the eighth, his 17th, and took a triple-bogey seven.

"I definitely need a break," Rose said. "I've had enough." Although he raised his head to the heavens when the 25-footer went in at his last hole, just as he did when he holed out at Royal Birkdale in July, the experiences could not have been more different.

"This takes more out of you," the 18-year-old said. "The Open was such a freak scenario that you can't compare it with anything."

The question now is what next for the boy wonder turned struggling pro? Having made the cut here, he can accept an unlimited number of invitations on tour and the fact that he has been offered places in the Australian Open next week and in the New Zealand Open suggest he will be in demand.

But his inglorious ending here may deter some sponsors and there will inevitably be resentment from other players if he continues to receive the much sought-after invitations if he does not show some form early next year. The alternative is to use his full exemption for the Challenge Tour, the training ground for the main circuit.

He will be away from the hype and can get on with his apprenticeship as a touring pro. If he is good enough, and too many people who should know suggest he is, then he will find his place on the higher stage. What others, like Gordon Sherry, have proved is that trying to juggle both tours is a waste of time. It is something Rose, his father, and management company will have to think about in the next few weeks. "I don't want to think about next season just now," Rose said.

Scores, Digest, page 29