Rose ready to keep Rio roll going
Olympic champ eyes more gold as he guns for $10 million FedEx bonus
Justin Rose, still basking in the glow of winning Olympic gold at the Rio Games, says he hopes the experience will put him on a season-ending roll after claiming a prize he considers “at the top”.
After playing for pride and patriotism in Rio, Rose is now gearing up for a crack at the $10 million bonus prize for topping the list in the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Rose prevailed at the Games in a tight, final-round duel with British Open champion Henrik Stenson, and the Briton said reaction to his victory has been overwhelming.
“The whole experience exceeded my expectations, and certainly winning has blown me away in terms of the reach that it has and the global audience that it has,” Rose said at Bethpage Black, where The Barclays will kick off the FedEx Cup playoffs on Thursday.
“I’ve really noticed a difference in people’s reactions.”
Even as he was shuttled to the media room, New York fans recognized the Englishman and shouted congratulations to him.
“I think the Olympic gold medal has reached a much wider audience. I feel the attention it receives has been huge outside of golf,” he said.
Rose, 36, said all the media attention paid to him over the past week and a more personal affirmation at home made him realize the impact of his achievement.
“Leo, my son, he never really let’s on that he’s that proud of me or lets on that he’s that excited about golf and the trophies I’ve been able to bring home, but this one meant something a little bit different to him,” said Rose, the 2013 US Open champion.
“He was probably wearing the gold medal more than I was for the first couple days after I got home. Just to see him excited about it made it even more special for me.”
Rose limited himself to four tournaments between May’s Players Championship and the Olympics, nursing a back injury, but said he feels fit and fresh heading into a busy end of the season with the FedEx Cup and the Ryder Cup filling the final weeks.
“I feel confident with my game. It’s the first time in a while I’ve been in contention and to put it away was a great feeling,” Rose said about his triumph in Rio.
“I’m beginning to putt well and I’m starting to get comfortable.”
“Hopefully I can get on a roll ... this shouldn’t be oneand-done,” he said.
Rose is looking forward to the upcoming challenges, but said there was something special about the Olympics — right down to the medal.
“It’s much easier to travel with than a normal trophy. You can just kind of slip it in your pocket and then carry on,” he said.
Rose said the feel of playing in the Games tournament was somewhere between a major and the Ryder Cup, and something peers who decided to skip the Rio Games will probably want to experience in Tokyo in 2020.
“It was just a unique tournament ... that’s why I can’t compare it to anything else,” he said.
“For me, it’s right up there with anything I’ve achieved in the game of golf, but it still sort of lives in a different world.
“I kind of see it at the very top.”
Rose said some players have asked to see the medal.
“Maybe it’s something that I can keep in my golf bag or pop in the locker or something. It’s a unique and iconic thing, Olympic gold,” he said.
“It’s definitely an iconic piece of hardware. It captures a lot of people’s imagination and they are excited to see it and feel it and hold it.”