Willet and Rose close the gap

Following the conclusion of the BMW Masters, Danny Willet and Justin Rose are hot on Rory McIlroy's heels in the Race to Dubai, which enters its final week.

The absence of McIlroy played a big role in their gains, but the duo still had to be competitive come Sunday in China.

Willett needed only to finish better than 27th to take the Race to Dubai lead, but a final round of 70 in Shanghai left him tied for 28th. 

The Englishman lamented his ice cold putter, which did not do him any favours over the weekend.

"I putted pretty poorly for four days," the three-rime European Tour winner told ESPN.

"I never really got anything going. It's close though and I guess you can look at it as if I go there next week and I win, I win. It's one of those good situations to be in. I've got a day and a half off to regroup and chill out and I know I'm going to have a chance next week."

Meanwhile, Rose made a huge gain following his tied for seventh finish. The Englishman has been ever so consistent of late, finishing in the top 13 in his last five events, including a win at the Hong Kong Open.

"I always knew I was going to have to win one of these two weeks, so hopefully I'm deferring and can finish it off on the grand stage in Dubai," said the world number six.

The English duo aren't the only players in contention at the final swansong at the DP World Tour Championship. Shane Lowry, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Hun Byeong An could all win the Race to Dubai with a victory at the showpiece event this weekend.

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