After a four year absence from The Open Championship, Justin Rose is ready and keen to make up for lost time at Carnoustie by challenging for the tournament and title he admits is his personal favourite.
Rose – who finished fourth as a 17 year old amateur in 1998 at Royal Birkdale to claim the Silver Medal – has not played in The Open since he missed the cut in 2003 at Royal St George’s, where, ironically, he spent a few days practicing last week to get reacquainted with links golf and the variety of shots required to combat the elements.
Despite a lack of links golf however, Rose is a real contender this week at Carnoustie to break Europe’s eight year wait for another Major Champion, thanks to his return to form over the past 12 months.
For he broke a four year winless streak when he won The European Tour’s Mastercard Masters title in Australia last November, and in the first two Majors of 2007, was tied fifth at the Masters Tournament and tied tenth at The US Open Championship.
Now, having been paired with defending champion Tiger Woods, and the most recent Open Champion at Carnoustie, 1999 winner Paul Lawrie, Rose is eager to get underway at 9.09am tomorrow and begin his bid for the Claret Jug and a maiden Major title.
He said: “I’m excited to be back playing in The Open. It’s the tournament I consider to be the biggest and best – and one I dearly want to win. It’s the one I have the most history with, going back to 1998 and Royal Birkdale.
“It’s been a long time certainly, since I last played in The Open, and it’s been disappointing to have missed a few Opens in a row. But I’m back now and looking forward to it.
“I’m excited by the draw – it’s going to be a wonderful occasion, playing with Tiger and Paul, a local hero and the last Brit to win The Open.”
Rose played with Woods for the first two days at The 2002 Open at Muirfield, an experience he will draw upon, but he is confident he will not find it hard at Carnoustie in Woods’ company, or allow himself to be distracted by the large press and public galleries focusing on the World Number One, when competition begins.
“There have been studies done with guys that play with Tiger and the fact that it is obviously difficult to play with Tiger – but the simple fact should remain that you’re playing a golf course,” stated Rose.
“The golf course doesn’t become more difficult because of the somebody that you stand next to. The reality, yes, could be different – but that’s not the way I’m going to approach it. The golf course is still the same, so my thinking is, ‘I’m into the golf course.’”
Furthermore, with the self-belief gained from consecutive top ten finishes in the past two Major Championships, Rose is in ebullient mood about his prospects.
“I view them as good, as hopefully I’ll be a contender. I certainly take a lot of confidence in what happened at Augusta and The US Open,” he said. “I felt like I was in the tournament from the word go and in it all week. I felt comfortable being in and around the hunt there all week.
“You’re always picking up experience and tucking it under your belt. For two good experiences to be so close together, should a third come around, it might be easier.
“What I mean is I guess it comes down to self-belief. Having played well in the last two Majors, I’m beginning to believe that’s where I belong, and just that alone makes it much easier to go out there and let it happen. ”
Rose, who yesterday played in practice with three time Open Champion Nick Faldo, joked he was “too busy beating him three and two” to chat with Europe’s 2008 Ryder Cup captain about his comments that young British players were in the comfort zone, happy to be multi-millionaires and not hungry enough to win Majors.
On the topic and points raised, Rose commented: “Everybody is different, to start with, but I don’t think there’s complacency at all. I think we’re all pushing ourselves and we’re all aware that a Major’s due. It’s probably going to be one of those situations that when one of the guys breaks through, quite a few will be.
“But certainly, you’ve got to look at what’s worked for a six time Major champion and other Major champions and, certainly, there’s definitely that single-mindedness they have.
“I don’t know whether I could be better at it, but it’s certainly something I can look at to try, and maybe, when the time is right, to make your game.
“You need to know what works for you, more than anything. I feel I play my best golf when I play down as much as I can, and I create a relaxed frame of mind and enjoy myself to a certain extent.
“On the golf course, it’s all about positive thinking, breathing, just all the very simple things that one can do to stay in the moment.”
To further aid his tournament preparations, Rose has rented a nearby house where he, wife Kate and his family will stay during the week to create a conducive, relaxing post-golf environment.
The determined Rose concluded: “Tiger has taken up a lot of Majors, 12, and lots of opportunities have gone, but a British or world player needs to step up and be able to rival him and find what it takes to win a Major.
“I’m very excited about the week ahead – and I would love to be the first Brit to break through and do it.”
