AFTER making a strong start to the defence of his Scottish Open title, north Hampshire golfer Justin Rose fell away in dramatic fashion over the final 27 holes at Gullane.

The 34-year-old was in a tie for second at the halfway stage thanks to two rounds of 66 (-4) and he picked up a further shot during the first nine holes of his third round to move to -9.

However, Rose dropped three shots on the back nine to fall out of contention, six shots off the lead going into the final day.

Worse was to follow yesterday, the former Robert May's School pupil dropping shots at the first two holes and making four bogeys in the space of five holes on the back nine to card a six-over-par round of 76, making him +9 for his last 27 holes.

He finished level par for the tournament, in 74th place and 12 strokes behind winner Rickie Fowler.

Rose sits seventh in the European Tour's Race to Dubai standings and slipped a place to eighth in the world rankings as a result.

He will be hoping to regain his form for The Open, which gets under way at St Andrews on Thursday.

An opening round of 66 (-4), which included five birdies and just one bogey, left Rose in a tie for 10th after the opening round at Gullane, three shots off the lead.

He made bogey at the first hole during his second round, but hit back with five birdies on the front nine to card another four-under-par total, moving up to second place, three shots off the lead.

He bogeyed the first hole again on day three, but two birdies had him under par for the round after nine holes. However, four bogeys and just one birdie on the back nine resulted in a two-over-par round of 72, dropping him out of contention for victory even before his poor final-round showing.