ROSE ON THE RISE
Winner Justin aims to be the ‘glue’ that holds Europe’s Ryder Cup team together
JUSTIN ROSE wants to be the man who holds Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team together in Rome this year.
Rose missed out on a place in the brittle European team taken apart by the USA at Whistling Straits in 2021.
But Monday’s PGA Tour victory at Pebble Beach in the AT&T ProAm has moved the 42-year-old into the top 10 on the qualification table and back in the picture for a return in Rome later this year.
“I would love to play my way on to the team,” said Rose. “I want to be a player who, if I’m playing well, Luke has to consider and feel good about.
“Every great team needs a blend. The most important part for the European team is going to be the youngsters who come through because you need guys who aren’t scared, guys who are going to make a bunch of birdies for you.
“But having three or four guys able to glue a couple of pieces of the team together is really, really important too.”
Rose’s re-emergence after a long period in the doldrums is a welcome bonus for Donald, who must privately have been planning without the former US Open champion, who picked up his only Major 10 years ago.
He is a player of proven class who has the experience of playing in five Ryder Cups and his record, especially in foursomes, is a good one. Rose’s combination with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson has been particularly effective, with six wins in eight matches together.
Stenson should have been Europe’s captain in Rome but bailed out after receiving an offer he felt he could not refuse to defect to LIV Golf.
His decision – and the decision of fellow LIV rebels like Ian Poulter (above) and Lee Westwood – to continue to play on the Tour after its Wentworth hierarchy failed to ban them has split the locker room. “Part of me thinks: ‘You’ve made a decision, you should just get your head down and stick with that,’” said Rose.
“But at the same time, a lot of these guys have given a lot to the European Tour over two decades. Maybe that should count for something too
“They remain my friends. I don’t judge their decision because everyone has their own parameters for what makes a good decision or not.”
The rebels’ future on the Tour is being decided this week at an arbitration panel in London, although the outcome is not expected until next month.
Europe, led by skipper Padraig Harrington, slumped to a record 19-9 defeat in Wisconsin two years ago against the youngest USA team in Ryder Cup history.
USA are hot favourites at 4-7 to triumph again in Rome, with Europe 15-8. The tie is 12-1 with most bookies.