JUSTIN ROSE has one clear aim for the year 2001 - to establish himself on the European PGA Tour.

The 20-year-old Hampshire golfer has been at final qualifying school three years running and he promises: "That shouldn't be an issue this year."

The new season gets under way on Thursday when Rose will be among those teeing off in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at the Houghton Golf Club near Johannesburg and he has set himself some demanding goals.

"Some I would rather keep to myself," says Rose, "but just let's say I'll be looking to do more than just make cuts.

"My game is perhaps stronger than it's ever been. That certainly applies to my driving. A year ago I was uncertain when I stepped on to the tee. Now I'm confident I'm going to put the golf ball where I want to.

"The last piece in the jigsaw is my putting. That still needs some work. One or two putts could be the difference between £5,000 and £100,000 as I found to my cost last season.

"I missed one four-footer in the BMW International Open and it cost me automatic exemption for 2001 and meant I had to go back to Tour School."

Rose nevertheless finished a creditable 123rd in the Volvo Order of Merit with earnings of £64,000 - just £6,000 short of the magic exemption figure.

Late last season he had to cope with the shock news that his father and coach Ken had leukaemia. He's still receiving caemotherapy but is making heartening progress.

Even so Rose intends to cut short the southern loop of the new season - he'll miss two events in Australia later this month - so that he can be back home with his mum Annie when Ken goes into hospital for his next course of treatment.

"I'll play in the Dunhill, try to qualify for the South African Open the following week, then come home before returning to the Tour in February for the Malaysia and Singapore Opens," says Rose.

As an amateur Rose oozed class and confidence and confounded the golfing world by finishing fourth in the Royal Birkdale Open in 1998. But when he turned professional, his form plummeted and a lot of self belief went with it.

But with the help of his father, his Florida-based coach David Leadbetter and most of all, his faith in his own ability, Rose clawed his way back. His Hampshire tour compatriot Steve Richardson said: "There's no doubt in my mind that Justin will become one of the stars of the game.

"He has great natural talent and physically he's much stronger now. He hits the ball straighter and longer than he used to. I think he'll establish a foothold this year and go on to make a big mark in the game."

Rose himself believes he now has a win in him. "It's a question of how strong mentally you are to handle being in a winning situation like that," he says, "but already in my career I have had to deal with a good few pressure situations.

"I didn't particularly enjoy the downs in my first year as a professional, but I don't think it did me any harm. It must be great to come flying out of your blocks and do well.

"But I'm not sure it prepares you for when the hard times come. At least I had my hard times from the word go. It could have broken me but I wouldn't let it and if it toughened me up a bit then that's not necessarily a bad thing."