JUSTIN Rose is up a place to sixth in the official golf world rankings after finishing in a tie for eighth at the Valspar Championship.

The north Hampshire golfer was in contention for the title going into yesterday's final round at Innisbrook, in Florida. However, a run of five bogeys in seven holes saw him drop out of contention, eventually finishing five shots behind winner John Senden.

Rose got off to a solid start, a level par opening round of 71 leaving him three shots off the lead. He moved up the leaderboard on day two, firing in five birdies on the way to a round of 68 (-3) that left him four shots off the lead going into the weekend.

The 33-year-old moved closer to the leaders on day three, a two-under-par round of 69, which included a bogey at the last, moving him up to fourth in the overnight standings, three shots behind the leader.

He was one-under-par through six holes but struggled around the turn, dropping five shots in seven holes and missing two short putts to drop out of contention.

The former Robert May’s School pupil recovered with a birdie at 14 but could make no further headway and ended up carding a three-over-par round of 74 to drop four places down the leaderboard to eighth on -2.

However, the top-10 finish was enough to move him above Rory McIlroy and up a place to sixth in the world rankings ahead of his next tournament, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which gets under way at Bay Hill, in Florida, on Thursday.