“Anytime you have a chance to be part of a historic moment in the game, it’s hard to turn down.”

Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas briefly owned the mantle before the honour of being known as golf’s world No.1 turned into a personal battle between Brooks Koepka and Justin Rose towards the end of 2018. Koepka officially ended the year at the summit but Rose was back to No.1 on Jan. 6 and has extended his points lead atop the standings after winning the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego over the weekend.

With new Omega Dubai Desert Classic champion Bryson DeChambeau also teeing it up at the new $3.5 million Saudi International this week, not to mention Johnson, Rose won’t be able to rest on his laurels even after his win at Torrey Pines. 

The Englishman speaks to Golf Digest Middle East about the new European Tour stop in King Abdullah Economic City, the highs of 2018 and his plans for the new year.

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Looking back on 2018 – FedEx Cup victory, another Ryder Cup, wins in Europe and America, tied 2nd at The Open, tied 10th at the US Open, tied 12th at The Masters, hosting the British Masters. How does it rank for you in terms of achievements in golf?
Last year was a very special year with a lot of great moments. Reaching world No.1 for the first time was another landmark and one I’m very proud of. I never like to reflect too much though; I’m more focused on moving forward and continuing to improve, so this year is all about building on everything we achieved last year and hopefully surpassing it.

We saw golf in the Olympics in 2016 and, looking ahead to 2019, now we’re going to have a tour event in Saudi Arabia. What does that mean for the sport?
It’s always fantastic to see golf moving into new areas and countries, and exposing it to people who have not had much opportunity to watch or play golf before. It’s exciting for the game to grow around the world and break new ground.

Why did you decide the Saudi International powered by SBIA had to be on your early-season schedule?
Anytime you have a chance to be part of a historic moment in the game, it’s hard to turn down. It’s an honour to play a small part in making history by playing in the first professional tournament ever held in Saudi Arabia. Professional golfers thrive on testing themselves against strong fields on high-quality golf courses, and the Saudi International ticks both of those boxes.

With a change in the golfing calendar now seeing three majors and two WGC events before the end of June, does the Saudi International serve as an early sighter for major form?
It may well do. We’ve seen in the past players who play well in the Middle East early in the year going on to have very successful seasons. Tommy Fleetwood in Abu Dhabi last year, for example, or Danny Willett three years ago winning in Dubai and then at the Masters. The Saudi International is an opportunity for players to lay down a marker in a strong field.

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How do you approach a new tournament in a new country?
We professional golfers are lucky to travel the world experiencing different countries and cultures. It has been a while since I visited a country for the first time, so I’m looking forward to having that experience in Saudi Arabia. I’ve heard many good things about the course, so I’m looking forward to getting familiar with it and finding out the best ways to play it.

With golf still very much an untapped sport in the Kingdom, what are you expecting from KSA as a host country and Royal Greens Golf & Country Club as a tournament venue?
I’ve heard about the Kingdom’s plans for golf so I’m excited to go there and see for myself the way the sport is growing. It sounds like there’s a lot of passion for our sport there.

The venue looks stunning and the facilities world-class. It’s always great to play with the sun on our backs too, and I think that is virtually guaranteed, so it’s all set to be a fun week.

Can you share your goals for 2019 on the course?
I actually very rarely set outcome goals. I really focus on my game and on the areas I think I can improve, rather than saying ‘I want to win a major or I want to get to world No.1’. I feel like when I do this, the results take care of themselves.

We saw Francesco Molinari emerge as a major champion last year. Which European players are best equipped to follow him as major champions this season?
European golf is so strong right now and there are a number of guys who are knocking on the door in the majors. Francesco had an unbelievable season last year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if what he did helps inspire others to win their first major championship. Tommy Fleetwood is the obvious one, and you’ve got the likes of Alex Noren, John Rahm and Paul Casey who are all riding high currently and could capitalise this year.

RELATED: Othman’s Royal Welcome: Kingdom’s first pro showcases three key holes at this week’s Saudi International

We saw in the Ryder Cup the Molinari-Fleetwood partnership blossom and rival Rose-Stenson in the bromance stakes. What’s the secret to Europe consistently securing such strong partnerships and team camaraderie?
The Ryder Cup is so different from regular weeks, and you bond with your teammates in a completely different way. You’re representing your continent together, and that helps forge some special bonds. Luckily every time I’ve played a Ryder Cup, the team room has had a fantastic atmosphere and bond. No one takes themselves seriously and there’s a lot of fun. It certainly helps when you have a great chemistry with a teammate, as I have with Henrik, and fortunately, over the years Europe has had many partnerships with great chemistry.

This year promises to be an exciting year for golf.  If there’s one tournament you could win, which would it be?
I would love to win another major, but as I said previously, I tend not to set many outcome goals. I prefer to stick to my processes and trust they will ultimately bring about success.