Claret Jug high on Rose wish list

IT WOULD KIND OF CLOSE THE BOOK IN A WAY

After Justin Rose finished fourth in the British Open at Royal Birkdale as a 17-yearold amateur in 1998, it seemed inevitable that he would soon go on to win the Claret Jug.

But he returns to the Southport links for this week’s championship having never subsequently managed to match that performance as a professional.

It is little wonder that Rose, now 36, spoke of “unfinished business” yesterday as he prepared for tomorrow’s first round, when he will tee off with former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and Justin Thomas.

“It surprises me after all these years that is still the best finish,” he said of his performance in miserable weather in 1998, when Mark O’Meara won the title in a play-off against Brian Watts.

Rose equalled the record low score for an amateur at The Open with a second-round 66, and there was a huge roar when he holed a pitch from the rough at the 18th on the Sunday for a birdie to secure a tie for fourth place.

“I don’t want to say that if I don’t win this it’s going to be a huge hole in my career, but it was the one tournament that even before I finished fourth here as an amateur, I got to final qualifying at the age of 14 and created a bit of a story then.

“It’s definitely been a championship that I’ve had great moments in. And to win it would kind of close the book in a way.”

The Englishman – who warmed up for Birkdale by attending Roger Federer’s victory over Marin Cilic in the Wimbledon final on Sunday – has had mixed results since winning

9.19am – Tom Lehman (US), An Byeong-Hun (Kor), Darren Fichardt (SA)

9.52am – Jason Dufner (US), Branden Grace (SA), Bryson DeChambeau (US)

10.25am – Song Young-Han (Kor), David Horsey, Dylan Frittelli (SA)

11.58am – Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (SA), Justin Thomas (US)

12.31pm – Shaun Norris (SA), Richard Bland, a-Luca Cianchetti (Ita)

2.42pm – Ross Fisher, Ernie Els (SA), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut)

4.15pm – Jhonattan Vegas (Ven), Brandon Stone (SA), Sean O’Hair (US)

4.48pm – Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (US), Charl Schwartzel (SA)

6.05pm – Jbe Kruger (SA), Nick McCarthy, Ashley Hall (Aus) gold in the Rio Olympics last year.

He was runner-up to Sergio Garcia at the Masters in April but missed the cut at the recent US Open. – AFP

Picture: Reuters SANDY. South Korea’s Jeunghun Wang and Younghan Song play out of greenside bunkers during a practice round ahead of the British Open at Royal Birkdale as countryman Gi-Whan Kim looks on.