NORTH Hampshire golfer Justin Rose had an up-and-down round on the final day of The Players, eventually carding a three-under-par total of 69 to finish in a tie for fourth.

The day began well, with Rose handed back two shots after officials over-ruled a penalty handed two him on the final hole in the third round at TPC Sawgrass.

Television cameras showed that the Hook player’s ball had moved slightly when he addressed it with a wedge just off the 18th green, and he was handed a two-stroke penalty. That decision was overturned by rules officials, who decided that the movement was not enough to be noticed by the player.

As a result, Rose began the final round at golf’s unofficial fifth major five, rather than seven, shots off the pace, and a three-under-par front nine had him in contention at the turn.

Bogeys at 10, 11 and 12 left him too far behind the leaders to mount a proper challenge, but the former Robert May’s School pupil ended the tournament on a high. Birdies at 15, 17 and 18 saw him claim a share of fourth place with Jordan Spieth, three shots behind winner Martin Kaymer.

Rose played well throughout the tournament. He sat in a share of fourth place after an opening round of 67 (-5), and followed that up with rounds of 71 (-1) on both Friday and Saturday.

The result moved Rose up to ninth in the world rankings ahead of his return to England for the BMW PGA Championship, which gets under way at Wentworth, just up the A30 from his childhood home, next Thursday.