	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM

February 11, 2016

Justin Rose

Pebble Beach, California

Q. 50 feet on the last hole. That thing was going how far by? I called it 10.
JUSTIN ROSE: I think you're spot on. Luckily it was uphill, which would have made it 10. But when it hits the middle, the hole is pretty big, I guess.

Q. Makes up for the great putt you hit on 14, that you thought you made it as soon as you hit it?
JUSTIN ROSE: True. Obviously, I putted really well all day and 14 was probably one of the better putts that didn't go in. But I had my fair share today. Rode my luck at times. I hit a poor wedge into the bunker at 10 and made that bunker shot. So little things like that that happened today, obviously, all equal into a great score.

Q. I heard something, this is your first time going around here for this tournament, really?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah. That was actually my first look at Spyglass. I came out here the other day and went around a couple holes checking it out, but I picked the wrong one not to play, because it's a pretty tough course. There's some strong holes on it.

And I heard some strange reports about Spyglass, like the first few holes are great then it disappears into the hills and it's not that good. That's not what I saw. That's a pretty stellar golf course to me and really enjoyed playing it. All the courses in the rotation have impressed me this year.

Q. Not going for the par-5 at 14, not knowing the golf course, was that your caddie telling you not to? Because the number was one that you could get there, but there is nothing up there, is there?
JUSTIN ROSE: There isn't. And that was all true. My caddie, he told me categorically it's a three-shot hole. And I kind of just got a little greedy on the tee and I stepped on one and hit a pretty good tee shot. I only had 238 to the front, but it was right in between 5-wood and 3-wood and he stayed pretty firm on the three-shot hole rule. So nearly worked out.

Q. What's the story behind supposedly Justin Timberlake is what kind of got you to play here; is that true?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I would say it's fair. Yes and no. It's definitely a tournament I've been watching over the years and looks like a lot of fun. And then when you're sitting at home and you're watching it in great weather, it's a place you always wish that you were at.

I missed the U.S. Open here, too, so I feel like me and Pebble just haven't quite gelled yet, but everything worked out. I wanted to play more on the West Coast this year. I didn't go off to the Middle East. And normally I start my year over there which kind of precludes me from playing this one before the Florida swing. But, decided to play a little bit more on the West Coast this year.

Q. What's the roots of your friendship with him.
JUSTIN ROSE: Just here and there. Got to play some golf, he's a very, very keen golfer. And also met him in Orlando a couple times. He has connections to that city and through the years I got to know him a little bit and after we played golf became obviously better friends.

Q. Who introduced yourself to who, do you remember?
JUSTIN ROSE: I think it started off with me introducing myself to him, I think. Back in the day at Lake Nona, that was the first time we ever met. But, to be fair, obviously, the second time I met him, he absolutely remembered that meeting and, hey, it's all gone from there.

Q. You know this is the toughest of the three courses.
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I didn't really put a label on it, but I seen some great scores out here. So I didn't really know what to expect. But I'm very happy to have that score under my belt and hope I can build on that the rest of the week.

Q. How unique is a setting is this? I mean, you won the U.S. Open and you go around here with Justin Timberlake and I'm guessing he's getting a lot more reaction from the crowd.
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. I was getting probably a 10 to 1 ratio to Justin. Just depends on how you want to view them. I said earlier in the week that I was going to feed off that energy and own those Justin shots, but I've actually never walked -- the 16th, no, the 17th to the 18th is quite a steep climb and I'VE never seen a demographic like that on a golf course where you're sort of running the gauntlet from one tee to the other. Everyone was under 21 and 80 percent female. I said okay, that moved the needle a little bit there.

Q. They actually yelled "Justin" and you turned to wave and it wasn't you, right?
JUSTIN ROSE: Well, yeah, trust me, I was kind of coming in to today knowing what to expect. But I wouldn't have fallen foul to that mistake.

Q. What the most memorable interaction, anything funny?
JUSTIN ROSE: Just a nice moment off the back of the 16th tee where JT and Alfonso -- JT grabbed a guitar and sung one of his songs. So that was cool. And Alfonso was chipping in on it. That was a cool moment. Not many people saw it, because there was only like 20 people back there. That's obviously when you really appreciate how someone can grab a guitar, go a cappella and sound so awesome. You have a better appreciation. You see him not hit not maybe so many great golf shots, but then you realize, ah, that's pretty damn special right there. So we all have our own skill set.

Q. That last putt, you obviously had the right line, but did you just hit it --
JUSTIN ROSE: It's a slow putt up there and, I don't know, it just, obviously, in the back of your mind you're like, hit it. And I hit it all right, but obviously when you hit it that firm, you have also chosen the wrong line, because it shouldn't go in. So it was definitely a fortunate break on the last.

Q. When you make something like that in this situation, you're celebrating, strutting more than you would normally, does that kind of remind you of why you're doing this, why this week is different?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I've been working pretty hard on my game, especially early in this week. It still hasn't clicked, I still don't feel a hundred percent comfortable, and I had to remind myself before I played today, this morning, that I'm out here to have fun as well. And I think that that little sort of mental adjustment helped free me up and play a better round.

Q. Many entertainers out here wish they could be professional golfers, do you have any wishes that you could do what he does and get on stage?
JUSTIN ROSE: That's a great skill. I am totally tone deaf and am absolutely terrible, even in the shower I'm awful. So, yeah, part of me wishes to feel like what that would be like and especially, obviously, in an arena where that whole different energy of performing in front of that sort of crowd would be obviously something cool to experience. But pretty happy doing what I'm doing and it is amazing really how golf really does have that gravitas amongst a lot of other professional athletes and even entertainers, that they do love the game so much.

Q. Have you seen his show?
JUSTIN ROSE: I have. A long time, before I knew him, yeah.

Q. And so, what's the reason you have not been on the West Coast as much just the scheduling?
JUSTIN ROSE: Mainly scheduling, just playing in the Middle East at the start of the year. So I had a little harder time in Florida last year, didn't play great in Florida last year, so I kind of switched it up this year, played a little more West Coast, which I thought would also help me stay a little fresher going into the summer.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297