European Tour honour for Rose

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Justin Rose has been bestowed with an honorary life membership of the European Tour following his US Open success.

Rose beat American Phil Mickelson by two shots at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania in June to win his first major and become the first Englishman in 43 years to win the event.

He was also the first Englishman in 17 years to win any major and the 33-year-old was given the award in Dubai on Tuesday.

“This is really an incredible honour,” he said. “For a kid who started his career with 21 missed cuts, I guess this means an awful lot really. And the whole journey could not have been done without all the hard work of The European Tour.

“It’s great to be back here and great to have a chance to be playing for the Race to Dubai. Like I said, this truly does mean a lot to me.

“It’s been a great journey. There are many, many fantastic players who have done so much for European golf who have received this honour, so it would be wonderful for me to be able to do the same.

“I’ve got a lot of great golf ahead of me, I hope, and a lot of great golf on the European Tour ahead of me. So I look forward to living up to this honour.”

Rose hit the big stage as an 18-year-old when he won the silver medal at The Open in 1998 and he has won six European Tour events and five PGA tournaments since then.

The European Tour has awarded 47 lifetime memberships with Rory McIlroy receiving the previous one in 2011 after his US Open win, and Tour chief executive George O’Grady paid tribute to Rose.

“When we have one of Europe’s own enjoying the season that Justin has had, and specifically winning the US Open Championship, we would be honoured if he would accept Honorary Membership of The European Tour,” he said.

“He will now join a very illustrious band of major championship winners and others who have contributed hugely to the growth of the European Tour.”