Worldwide Golf

JUSTIN Rose won his first title on US soil with a stunning three-shot victory at The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village.

Rose shot a bogey-free 66 to overturn Rickie Fowler’s four shot lead to beat the youngster with an 18-under-par total.

Fowler, who had lead for three days, settled for second place with Ricky Barnes and Bo Van Pelt finishing third and fourth respectively.

“I couldn’t wish for a better place (to win) – it’s an honour,” Rose said after holing the winning putt on his 162nd start on the PGA Tour. “I have had a few close calls and sometimes you wonder why you can’t get it done. But when you do it feels easy. It’s nice to have the hard work pay off.”

Fowler, 21, posted rounds of 65, 66 and 69 to lead by four going into the last day but bogeyed the 10th before making a disastrous double bogey on the par-3 12th to hand Rose the lead. Rose had gone out in 4-under 32 after four birdies in five holes before birdies on holes 14 and 16 to put daylight between himself and Fowler. With Fowler teeing off on the 18th three shots back, Rose rolled in a simple par putt to seal the victory.

“In the past, I’ve certainly gotten ahead of myself,” said Rose, who followed Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy as British winners on the PGA Tour this season. “It’s taken me a little while, but I think today I felt more comfortable in that situation because I was more in the moment.”