Rose doesn't crave the spotlight

Last updated: 16th January 2013

Justin Rose is just fine with Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods hogging the spotlight at this week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Rose, the World No 5, joins the World No 1 and 2 in starting his season afresh in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, with McIlroy and Woods immediately thrust into a head-to-head clash.

The Englishman, who tees off later in the day alongside Ernie Els and defending champion Robert Rock, is quite happy staying out of the limelight.

"I think status is in the eye of everybody else," said Rose.

"I think from a golf point of view I feel very comfortable where my game is.

"I know what I need to improve, I know how I'm going to do it and I back myself.

"I feel comfortable standing up in that situation now and believing that I have the tools and the skills to compete."

2012 was certainly a year in which Rose proved that he did have the tool and skills to compete, winning his first world championship in Miami last March and also triumphing at the World Golf Final in Turkey in October - both tournaments that also featured Woods and McIlroy.

He also put in a seriously impressive performance at the Ryder Cup in Chicago, and nearly stole the show at the European Tour's season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai with a dazzling final-round 62.

Despite those achievements, there's not a hint of jealousy when discussing the amount of attention McIlroy and Woods get.

"They clearly deserve it," he said. "Rory is the number one player in the world and Tiger is certainly the best player of our generation.

"They deserve the headlines. I'm totally fine with that. Coming in under the radar is never a bad thing.

"I'm glad that they are here because those are the guys you want to be coming down the stretch again and if you win the tournament it validates it.

"You really come away feeling proud that you've beaten a world-class field."

On McIlroy's change of clubs he added: "The disadvantages is just not knowing 100 per cent exactly what's going to happen under pressure.

"You can test clubs all day long on the range, but they always feel a little bit different on the course. Confidence comes with results, I guess.

"It may take a little bit of time. You have to be patient.

"I would say you're going to know one way or the other within three tournaments - good or bad."