Tiger is ready to get creative at Carnoustie in bid for major No 15
ALL THE LATEST AHEAD OF THE 147TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
YOU might only need the fingers on one hand to count the players who marked the notable anniversary of 20 years as a pro while playing the best golf of their careers.
Such is the achievement of Justin Rose, who began life in the paid ranks with 21 missed cuts in a row in 1998 and celebrates his landmark on Friday on the back of his last 21 events featuring four wins and 16 top tens.
Furthermore, the anniversary falls in the very week when he will try once more to win the Claret Jug which, in turn, would make him world No 1 for the first time.
‘You couldn’t ask for anywhere better for it all to come together and for everything to come full circle, if you like,’ said Rose, who turned pro the week after finishing joint fourth in The Open as a 17-year-old amateur. ‘Obviously, you’d take winning The Open any time but 20 years certainly has a nice ring to it.’
Such is his current level of self-belief, Rose is prepared to state publicly that he anticipates to be in contention.
‘I expect to create an opportunity for myself this week and I’m comfortable saying that,’ he said. ‘I’m playing well and creating chances regularly to win.’
Rose’s stellar run of form is a fulsome reward for his unwavering dedication. ‘The consistency I’m showing now is by far the best I’ve ever had in my career,’ he said. ‘Sustaining it, I think, is a mark of all the hard work, experience and improving parts of my game like putting, which is probably the biggest area.’
Not for the first time in his life, he will lead the British challenge at The Open and the search for a first win by an Englishman since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992. In the past, it’s looked like that expectation has overwhelmed him but he’s a different player now.
Rose has also been desperately unlucky with the draw on several occasions, leading to a barely believable Open record showing one top ten in the 20 years since Birkdale. ‘I don’t mind expectation,’ he said.
‘I feel like you’ve got to be a big boy and you’ve got to be able to handle that. If you want to play at the top level, that’s what you have to live with.
‘What I’ve learned over the years is you do all your preparation but you don’t need everything to be perfect by any means.
‘There were many years where I felt like everything had to be spot on, until I won the US Open in 2013. I wasn’t really on my best form for the first three days but still went into Sunday with a chance. So now it’s up to me.
‘No stats, no records. It’s just about me playing this golf course and creating another chance to win. I try not to look any deeper than that.’
Rose offered an upbeat assessment of all those trying to end a run of five successive victories for Americans in the majors.
‘I don’t know what I’d put it down to other than the American boys in the world rankings are performing really well,’ he said.
‘I think Tommy (Fleetwood) has a brilliant chance, and then there’s the likes of Paul Casey and Ian Poulter, while Rory McIlroy could be dangerous. Probably more dangerous because he’s been a little bit quiet.’