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FUNAI GOLF CLASSIC AT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

October 22, 2005

Justin Rose

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA

Q. Were you playing the new course or the old course out there today distancewise?

JUSTIN ROSE: We had a mixture of both out there today, a mixture of both tees really. We played 16 off the back today, which we hadn't in the first round. Played 17 forward, the first round we were back.

The 4th hole we played forward. We were back the other day. And 9 we were back, when we were forward the first day. It was interesting. It was good. It was different.

Q. What do you think it will be tomorrow?

JUSTIN ROSE: It depends on the weather. If we're expecting bad weather, I don't think they'll set the course up as long as they could. I think they will be sensible and take the weather into consideration at least.

Q. You were the 54 hole leader at the Buick, correct?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yes.

Q. And a couple of shots back at Greensboro going into the last day. And this is the third time in 6, 7 starts you've been hanging around the neighborhood. Does that help your comfort zone out there, the more you're in this position, or does it hurt you eventually because you're right there and you can't get over the hump. It's a double edged sword? I don't know.

JUSTIN ROSE: Right now I'm beginning to get myself in position regularly, so it's definitely a positive. And the more you get comfortable with that, the better chance you have finishing off the task on Sunday.

In both instances Buick was obviously a realistic chance to win, having a one stroke lead. I went out there and shot 69, shot under par. Sometimes you can't ask for more than that. It was one of those days.

Greensboro, I was a little way back and K.J. got off to a flyer, so that was a nonissue. It's nice to be on the leaderboard. I'm expecting to be 2 or 3 back as we sit here right now. I had a couple of putts on the last two greens which could have made a difference going into tomorrow, but at least I'm within striking distance. Another low round and you've got a chance.

Q. Was it hard to watch the Masters this year after being the 36 hole leader last year. Coming here was going to be a gamble, you no knew that your World Rankings have backed down a bit and you have to sort of regain that foothold.

JUSTIN ROSE: World Ranking wise I have taken a tumble. Golf wise, I've really seen an improvement and an upward trend. I feel like I'm progressing nicely at the moment. A lot of positives. My World Rankings are in a position where I'm not dropping too many points. I have a few years it's been a little so so result wise. As soon as I start to play great, I'll move up those World Rankings pretty quickly. That's the good knows.

Q. With three holes to play yesterday, did you think you would be on the leaderboard going into the final round?

JUSTIN ROSE: Leaderboard, being top 20, yes. The last two groups, possible. The way I played yesterday, I eagled my second to last hole or third to last hole, and I turned an average day into an exceptional day. By getting to 9 under par, it obviously means if you shoot a low round on Saturday, you have a chance to win. If you make the cut on the mark, you have to have an extra special round to have a chance. I'm pleased the way I finished yesterday, which obviously enabled me to get a sniff of it today.

Q. (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: Today?

Q. Yes.

JUSTIN ROSE: Probably a little bit better. I seemed to have putted better on the Magnolia greens as opposed to the Palm Course. My speed seems to be more consistent on these greens than the other course. That's the only difference I can pick out.

Q. You're in the house now, correct?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yes.

Q. Tell us what you've got there that would make it uniquely yours.

JUSTIN ROSE: Uniquely mine? There is a nice theater room, which is not a good incentive to practice. It's tough to drag myself away from it sometimes. I'm really comfortable there. It's nice it's done now. It does feel like home.

Spending so much time now in the States, I'm comfortable there. It's making me feel obviously less homesick in a way, having a base that feels like your own. That's my bed now. That's the bed I sleep in the most.

Q. (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: I have one painting with a bit of a Union Jack in it. You've got to have your roots in there somewhere.

Q. (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yes, literally a stone threw away.

Q. (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yes, I do.

Q. Whereabouts?

JUSTIN ROSE: Family home is down in Hampshire, but I have got an apartment in Putney in southwest London.

Q. You have another one somewhere else?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yes, South Africa.

Q. (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: That's my next career.

Q. Having turned pro at a young age, have you taken a look at what Michelle Wie has been doing? And any more interest to you, sort of having been in that I know it's not the same situation, but a lot of scrutiny at a young age?

JUSTIN ROSE: Obviously, I've met Michelle a couple of times, played a practice round with her at the Sony. She is obviously truly a phenomenal player. I was a good player, great player for my age, I think she's something special for sure. She's more ready for it than I was, no doubt about that, mentally I think more than anything.

I think she's worked really hard at the mental side of things over the last year or two. She's obviously got the physical attributes, we all know that, the way she swings and hits it, but mentally she's really strong.

Q. Do you ever look back and have any second thoughts?

JUSTIN ROSE: I sit here 25 years of age and feel like experiences is a tick in the column for me. I feel like I have had a lot of good experiences and a lot of bad experiences, but the bad experiences make you stronger. I feel ready to obviously take on whatever is thrown at me on the golf course.

Q. Some people will wonder why we don't have more really good accomplished young players. I guess my question would be, do you think we have a lot of what most people consider good young players or do you think the standard has been set too high because of what a certain good young player did some eight, nine years, that being Tiger?

JUSTIN ROSE: I think we do have a whole bunch of really good young players. If you're defining them by under 30, there's a whole bunch of us, Trevor Immelman, Adam Scott, Sergio, Charles Howell, Ian Poulter, Kevin Na. There is a bunch of guys who are nobody is dominating, for sure, but they're knocking off the wind here and there. And golf is a game that's tough to dominate.

The standard is set. Obviously the bar is at a very high level. And for somebody to come in and match that standard, they're going to be a whale beater. I think the game is in good hands, I really do. I think a lot of us now are at a level where to break through into that next major level, you know, what have you, is right there for a good few of us.

Q. Talking off the top of my head here, but I don't think we've had another player in his 20s win a major except for Ben Curtis, is that right? Did I just make that up?

Who do you think would be the most accomplished player since Tiger, the most accomplished player in his 20s and why?

JUSTIN ROSE: Sergio, for a lot of reasons. He's now been around the block for a long time. His golf game has always been incredibly good. I think he's suffered a when he turned pro everything went incredibly smoothly for him. He was good from the word go. He then had a tough spell, had a few issues with regripping and putting and stuff like that. He's had to face that. It's a challenge. That's the mark of a great player, whether you can obviously get over a hurdle like that. And he's obviously proved he can, put himself back up to No. 6 in the world. To me, he's been at the top. He's dropped off and got him back to the top, so I think he's probably the most accomplished.

Adam Scott had a great year, he got himself in that sort of league, and I think there's

Q. What has Adam done? Sure, number of wins or (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: I think he's very professional, Adam. I think he's professional beyond his years in a lot of ways. He knows what works for him schedule wise. He doesn't play a lot. He knows what works for him. And a lot of us young players are trying to figure out what works for us, what schedule, what training regimen, how to practice, all these sorts of things. And I think he's maybe found his model maybe sooner than a lot of guys. I think we'll all eventually get there, it's just who finds their road the quickest.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Let's start with birdie on 1.

JUSTIN ROSE: I hit a good drive, three quarter pitching wedge to eight feet.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: 3.

JUSTIN ROSE: 3, I hit good 7 iron right over the top of the flag, just in the fringe and hit a 3 wood pop shot from 20 feet I suppose it was and it went in.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: 4.

JUSTIN ROSE: Driver, 5 wood, on the green, 30 feet, two putts.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Bogey on 8.

JUSTIN ROSE: Bogey on 8 was bad, obviously. I missed the fairway with a 3 iron lay up really, but under a tree, clipped the tree third shot, short of the green, knocked it up there just on the back edge, 2 putt.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Eagle on 10.

JUSTIN ROSE: That was big, especially giving the shot away at par 5, to eagle the 10th felt like I balanced the books, if you would like. I hit driver, 5 wood just into the back fringe and bladed a lob wedge, like a putter into the hole from 20 feet.

12, 8 iron to six feet.

13, 3 iron, sand wedge to 10 feet.

14, driver, 5 iron, sand wedge to 10 feet.

16, driver, pitching wedge to four feet.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: 64.

JUSTIN ROSE: Sounds easy.

Q. (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: I holed a few shots from the fringe today, which obviously turned a 67 into a 64, yes.

Q. (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: There's no wind. The greens are a tiny bit softer than they were the first day. You're going to see guys hitting a lot of iron shots close.

Q. (Inaudible)?

JUSTIN ROSE: I nearly got a sweater on out there today.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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