SAN DIEGO — Nobody else had an opportunity to beat Justin Rose at Torrey Pines on Sunday, and so his ultimate problem was to tackle Tiger Woods.
Rose received that battle, too.
In what Rose felt was his most full tee-to-green efficiency, he sailed to a 2-under 70 for a seven-shot victory within the Farmers Insurance coverage Open, breaking the 72-hole match file final set by Woods in 1999.
“Sorry, T-dub, in case you’re watching,” Rose mentioned in his CBS interview on the 18th inexperienced.
No apologies needed. Rose knew the rating. It is one of many objectives he set to maintain him pushing ahead, even when nobody obtained nearer than the six-shot lead he had going into the ultimate spherical. He tapped in for par to complete at 23-under 265, one higher than Woods and George Burns in 1987.
“I used to be keenly conscious of it, really,” Rose mentioned with a smile. “It was the one factor I used to be centered on the final three holes.”
He additionally turned the primary wire-to-wire winner at Torrey Pines in 71 years. Rose most likely wasn’t conscious of Tommy Bolt doing that in 1955.
All of it added to an astonishing efficiency by a 45-year-old from England who’s enjoying a number of the finest golf in his profession and nonetheless searching for extra. He moved to No. 3 on the planet — solely Vijay Singh was older when ranked that prime in September 2008.
Rose opened with a 62 on the North course at Torrey Pines and actually by no means let up all week, enjoying even higher on the South course that has hosted two U.S. Opens. He prolonged his lead after every spherical — by one shot, 4 pictures, six pictures after which a seven-shot margin, the biggest of his profession.
Rose hit his second shot to 10 toes on the par-5 sixth gap for a two-putt birdie, hit his tee shot to simply inside 10 toes on the par-3 eighth and holed a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-5 ninth for a 33 on the entrance 9. That turned the again 9 — all day, actually — right into a peaceable stroll on the general public course alongside the Pacific Ocean.
The match had certainly one of its finest weeks of climate, even by San Diego requirements. The one factor missing was drama, which was simply nice with Rose.
This was little greater than a battle for second and that was a tie. Si Woo Kim (69), Ryo Hisatsune (69) and Pierceson Coody (66) shared runner-up honors, a comfort prize value $726,400. For Coody, it is also more likely to get him right into a pair of $20 million signature occasions to finish the West Coast Swing.
Brooks Koepka completed his return to the PGA Tour after defecting from LIV Golf with acquainted cheers on the ninth inexperienced when he tapped in a birdie putt for a 70. There have been some 300 folks across the inexperienced, most of them shouting, “Welcome again, Brooks.”
He headed to Phoenix later Sunday for the loudest occasion in golf. “I like the chaos,” Koepka mentioned.
Rose, who additionally received at Torrey Pines in 2019, now has 13 profession titles on the PGA Tour. Even for all he has achieved, from a U.S. Open to an Olympic gold medal to seven Ryder Cup appearances, he has not stopped placing within the work to remain among the many elite in golf.
“I nonetheless consider there’s good things in entrance of me,” Rose mentioned.
His 13 tour titles have been at Muirfield Village, Aronimink, Merion, Congressional, Pebble Seaside, Colonial, all programs which have hosted majors or a Ryder Cup.
He thought again to his closing 66 on the Masters final 12 months, his fourballs efficiency with Tommy Fleetwood on Saturday on the Ryder Cup, and the best way he performed this week. His age is only a quantity.
“These days or these weeks or these rounds are undoubtedly exhibiting me that the gasoline remains to be within the tank,” Rose mentioned. “Clearly, accessing it’s the job now. How do I try this extra typically? That is all the time the trick, however a minimum of figuring out it is there may be builds plenty of confidence.”
In per week during which LIV Golf was an enormous matter — the return of Koepka, one other departure from LIV by Patrick Reed — Rose was reminded of the provide to take Saudi cash to affix the rival league. He selected to remain put, and his efficiency over the past 12 months validates that call.
He left Torrey Pines a 12 months in the past at No. 55 on the planet. He stays among the many elite.
“My profession objectives (majors) have all the time solely been attainable by staying on the European tour and the PGA Tour as a result of entry to them is just not potential the opposite approach,” he mentioned. “I wish to play among the many finest gamers on the planet. That clearly for me is what retains me motivated, what retains me hungry, what retains me pushing.”
He thought his efficiency at Torrey Pines in 2019 was certainly one of his finest, this was higher. It may need been extra significant, too. His longtime caddie, Mark Fulcher, was hospitalized recovering from coronary heart surgical procedure in 2019.
“Now he is obtained one for himself,” Rose mentioned.
