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At age 44, Justin Rose had come agonizingly near profitable his second main, solely to fall to Rory McIlroy in a sudden-death playoff. On the again 9 of his profession, this may increasingly have been Rose’s final large likelihood at capturing one other main title.
Masters Heartbreak
Earlier than the primary tee shot was hit through the last spherical at Augusta, Justin Rose was 7 pictures again from the lead. Even by way of 9 holes, Rose was nonetheless removed from threatening McIlroy. However a historic cost within the second 9 that noticed Rose card 6 birdies left him inside an arm’s size as he walked off 18. McIlroy’s bogey on 18 would see them face off in a playoff, which resulted in McIlroy draining a birdie putt on the primary further gap to finish it.
Much more heartbreaking for Rose is that this was not the primary time his Grasp’s ended like this. This 12 months’s Masters marked the second time Rose has misplaced in a playoff at Augusta, the primary being in 2017 when Sergio Garcia edged him in one other dramatic Sunday duel. However even experiencing it earlier than a playoff loss at The Masters nonetheless hurts the identical
“I used to be gutted once I walked off the course,” mentioned Rose. “However I left all of it on the market. I performed a few of the greatest golf of my life on the again 9. I’m pleased with that. However yeah… this one’s going to stick with me.”
And it ought to. Rose birdied six of the ultimate eight holes to shoot a closing 66 and drive a playoff, solely to look at McIlroy drain a birdie putt on the primary further gap that ended it. Whereas the golf world celebrated McIlroy’s historic grand slam, Rose was left to replicate on yet one more missed Masters—his fourth top-five end at Augusta and not using a win.
The Final Dance?
Rose has had a curler coaster of a 12 months up to now. In his 7 begins this 12 months, he has missed the reduce 3 occasions and had one other T47 end. However the remainder of his begins have all completed inside the highest 8. It’s honest to imagine that when Rose has been on it, his sport is nearly as good as anybody’s.
He broke an extended winless drought by capturing the 2023 Pebble Seashore Professional-Am and adopted it with strong performances all through 2024, together with a runner-up end on the Open Championship at Royal Troon, even main through the last spherical. However even when he’s not on the prime of his sport, we all know the expertise and nerve Rose has to recover from the road.
Bodily, Rose continues to be succesful. His swing stays one of the vital technically sound on Tour, and his health and self-discipline have helped him keep away from the form of accidents that derail many veterans. Mentally, he’s as sharp as ever—pushed, targeted, and geared up with over twenty years of main championship expertise. However the margins are razor-thin on the prime, and the youthful technology—Scheffler, Morikawa, Hovland—aren’t going anyplace.
His Subsequent Possibilities
As for the upcoming majors, Rose’s likelihood is removed from gone. He’s at all times been strong on the U.S. Open, which he gained in 2013, and this 12 months’s venue, Oakmont, rewards precision and expertise. At Quail Hole for the PGA Championship, he’ll must preserve tempo with bombers, however his brief sport and scrambling might preserve him aggressive. The Open at Royal Porthcawl may very well current his greatest remaining likelihood. He’ll have the house crowd, the hyperlinks expertise, and the motivation.
“I’m not performed,” Rose mentioned through the RBC Heritage media day this week. “This loss hurts, yeah, however it’s additionally motivating. I do know I can nonetheless win at this degree. Augusta confirmed that.”
It’s anybody’s guess as as to whether or not Rose’s confidence turns into silverware. What we do know is Rose doesn’t have many extra possibilities being a few months away from the massive 45. But when this Masters was Rose’s final, greatest likelihood at main No. 2, he didn’t go quietly. He fought, surged, and made it compelling. Possibly he confirmed there’s nonetheless yet one more nice Sunday left in him.
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