We won’t Ryde by seat of our pants this time
Rose reckons Europe’s big three of Rahm, Casey and Tommy will bring the cup home
JUSTIN ROSE reckons Europe’s Ryder Cup team is shaping up much better than the disjointed mix that lost at Hazeltine.
The Englishman claims the almost certain inclusion of Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Paul Casey in September’s showdown at Golf National in Paris adds a dimension that Europe lacked two years .
The way Rose sees it, captain Darren Clarke had to pick his pairings and pray with such limited options to find the right blend of experience, form and big-time performers.
But with guys such as Rahm (ranked fourth in the world), Fleetwood (10th) and Casey (12th) coming into the frame for France this year’s skipper Thomas Bjorn will be spoiled for choice.
Rose said: “We have a team that’s shaping up to be a very different animal to what we had last time.
“Tommy, Jon Rahm and Paul Casey change the dynamic of our team massively in terms of the amount of natural pairings we can field. It’s always a 12-man team but you’re only trying to find four good pairings.
“Last Ryder Cup we were at the bare minimum in terms of pairings we could put out and everything else was a bit of Hail Mary.
“The inclusion of those boys on the team, it’s going to shore up so many pairings and give us so many more options.”
Rose would be an obvious contender to be paired with his fellow Englishman Fleetwood and the former US Open winner admits he’s a big fan of how Tommy has rocked on this season after a breakthrough year in 2017.
Rose, who has confirmed his return to the Scottish Open in July, said: “I’m so impressed with Tommy, not just as a golfer but an individual.
“I played with him for three rounds last week and he’s just class on and off the course.
“He has one of the best temperaments on Tour so I can only see him going from strength to strength. When I look at his skill set he hits the ball impeccably. I find myself copying Tommy whenever I’m playing golf with him or trying to emulate some of the things he does so well in his swing.
“His putting stroke is simple and efficient but his attitude is really what stands out the most.”
The confirmation Rose will return to Gullane from July 12-15 adds more glamour to an already star-studded line-up.
It was at the East Lothian venue three years ago when Rose last competed in the event as defending champion.
Now he’s coming back as a means to get to grips with links golf the week before The Open at Carnoustie.
With the Scottish summer’s knack of throwing up tough conditions he’ll be hoping not to have to strip off again – as he did when he took off his trousers at the Zurich Classic.
Rose rates that moment when he had to play a ball out of a muddy pond the strangest shot he’s had to undertake.
Although it was made easier by the fact his playing partner, Henrik Stenson, has previous for going the whole hog.
The bold Swede stripped down to only his pants in similar circumstances back in 2011 but Rose insists there was never any danger of that.
He said: “I’ve never had a stranger shot than that. I was quite well behaved by keeping my shirt on unlike Henrik who was not as shy.
“I wasn’t keen to get in that water because I had to take my kit off and it was full of snakes and alligators. But my playing partner proceeded to make a bogey and forced me to get in.
“People enjoying seeing a different side of pro golfers or a light-hearted approach.”
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