THERE are still more than ten months to go to the next Ryder Cup, but new European No 1 Justin Rose can start planning for his debut.

That is great news for captain Nick Faldo, despite what he said 14 months ago.

When Faldo took over from Ian Woosnam after watching the record-equalling nine-point victory at The K Club the first comment he made was: Can I just give this team a bit of deodorant, a quick clean, a fresh shirt and take them over to America with me now?'' To be told then that an uncapped 27-year-old would be the first man to guarantee himself a place in the side might have worried Faldo. But not if he had also been given the identity.

With his win in the Volvo Masters, Rose grabbed the European Order of Merit title from a mere 12 events - only Peter Oosterhuis has done it in fewer - and entered the world's top ten for the first time at seventh.

That makes him Europe's topranked player and as Colin Montgomerie was saying only last month: Our Ryder Cup team next year would be weaker without Justin.'' Faldo is also a fan, saying: He's playing under pressure every week in America and has really come a long, long way.

It won't be long before he gets into the winner's circle in America then he's going to be a regular contender and a regular winner, I'm sure.'' What also impressed Faldo was that Rose turned out for his Britain and Ireland team at the recent Seve Trophy in Ireland.

Twelve other big names stayed away but Rose missed the wedding of his great friend Ian Poulter to play and won three of his five games. That was good commitment,'' commented Faldo.

It might come as a surprise to some looking back that Rose did not earn his first Ryder Cup cap in 2002, given that he won four times early that season.

But the teams at The Belfry were the ones selected a year earlier and unable to play then because of the terrorist attacks in America.

Not that Rose was likely to have been available in any case.

His father Ken died of leukaemia aged 57 just two weeks before the re-arranged match.

Coping with that loss was the second testing time of his career.

The first had been suffering 21 successive missed cuts on turning professional following his amazing fourth place finish in the 1998 Open when he was 17.

It took Rose 11 months before he earned his first penny on the course, so to be a millionaire on both sides of the Atlantic now is a clear measure of how far he has come.

But he knows that there is a long way to go yet to achieve all his hopes and dreams.

Three weeks ago he was offered the choice of eight Order of Merits - Montgomerie's record - or one major and he opted straightaway for the major.