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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 8, 2018

Justin Rose

St. Louis, Missouri

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the 100th PGA Championship Bellerive Country Club. I am pleased to be joined by Mr. Justin Rose, better known as the 2013 U.S. Open champion.

Justin, this is your 16th PGA Championship, and if you were to explain to someone that didn't know a ton about golf, maybe explain what's a little bit different about this Major as opposed to the other three on the schedule.

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, historically, it's always been the last one. We all know that's about to change. It's going to be interesting. It's going to be great for the identity of this event, not to be the last one that comes along, because it does come along at a very busy time of year, where you're kind of coming off some of the other Major championships. It's right before FedExCup into Ryder Cup. But clearly Major championships always take precedence in terms of your schedule and your preparation towards them. This one often affords you the least time to try and dedicate towards them, towards the preparation side.

So I think the change-up is going to be good for me and good for this event, not that it needs it. Obviously, it's a wonderful event. I mean, you win any of the four Major championships, and you're a happy man. It's obviously for me, it's got one of the coolest trophies that there is in the sport, huge. You can have a lot of fun with that. So great names on it. Obviously, it's the Professional Golfers' Association event. So something pretty prestigious about it.

THE MODERATOR: We're glad to have you with us. And with you here, you have probably 13 or 14 Englishmen with you, but it's been, believe it or not, 99 years since one of you or your countrymen have won this championship or grabbed that Wanamaker trophy. Time to end the drought maybe?

JUSTIN ROSE: Well, that's my lucky number. 99. That's the number on my golf ball. I'm looking for any good omen I can get. Certainly, it is time. I'm playing well enough to do it, and there's a bunch of us playing well enough to do it. So the theory of large numbers have to start playing in our favor here soon.

THE MODERATOR: But the English players are really hitting a hot time right now. There's a lot of good young talent coming along, and you're kind of leading it, Tommy Fleetwood also, aren't you?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, for sure. Obviously, some of the older statesmen, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, who are looking for their first Major championship, who are capable of pulling through any week. Tyrell Hatton. I'm going to leave out a number of guys, can't name them all. But within the top 50 in the world there are a number of top players. Going back to your original question, this is the strongest field in golf. This is probably what makes the PGA Championship, if you were to win it, even more special. I think there's 98 of the top 100 in the world here.

But of that top 100, there's a pretty good number of Englishmen. But obviously myself and Tommy, just world ranking-wise, leading the way, but it doesn't have to be just us.

THE MODERATOR: That's true.

Q. Justin, can you just provide an update on your back injury from last week.
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah. Firstly, I wouldn't say there's any injury per se. It's just one of those things. I just had a facet joint tighten up, left sort of SIJ just got a bit grumbly. I could have maybe persevered last week if it was the last event of the season or something like that, but just with what's coming up this week, with the FedExCup, with the Ryder Cup on the back end, it just wasn't the prudent decision to play through. Even this week, I haven't actually played a practice round in terms of going out there with my golf clubs. I have walked each nine and got some good visuals.

So I kind of, I hit some balls today and felt absolutely fine and really comfortable with my swing and the way it's moving. So it's been a slightly different preparation for me this week because of it, but I think it's all been about trying to get to Thursday and be ready for Thursday. And I think -- I think this golf course, the way it's set up and the way it's playing and the condition of it has afforded me, if there was ever a Major championship, to be able to play it semi blind, I think this is the course to do it on.

Q. Justin, a couple of things. Why the number 99 at first? Why is that your lucky number? And also, is the lack of preparation a real concern, or do you think it's, as you say, something you can get away with this week?
JUSTIN ROSE: Well, yeah, 99 is -- my wife's lucky number was always 9. She was born on the 9th of March. When we got married, I figured double the luck, 99. I always liked double numbers anyway. I thought it was a cool number to have on my golf ball, and it became part of my Twitter handle and all that stuff. So Justin Rose 99 has just become a thing over the last 10, 12 years or so.

And then lack of preparation, no, I almost see it as a positive. A lot of guys are -- man, you look up in the locker room, the physios are working overtime up there right now. There's just a lot of boys struggling, a lot of boys -- more guys wearing tape this time of year than any other time of year. So it's a tough time of year for everybody.

But I think almost last week and going home and getting some, not just physical rest, but mental rest, I think, could be such a benefit for me if I get into contention this week and obviously, with the coming weeks.

I actually, although it's different, it could be a positive the way things have panned out.

Q. When did you walk the golf course, like which days? And what did you see out of the golf course?
JUSTIN ROSE: Sometimes you see it very clearly when you walk it. You're not focused on the shots you're hitting. You're not focused on your swing. You're focused on the setup of the golf course, potential pin placements, potential -- you just get a bit of a clearer vision sometimes, or certainly I do. Sometimes I stand at the back of the green, and I have the time to look around a little more closely. I'm not dictated by where I've hit my ball, and then you kind of get concerned with that and those visuals.

And the great thing is I haven't hit a bad shot in two days. So I'm coming in feeling pretty good about that. But I just feel like walking it has been quite an interesting -- it's not the first time I've ever walked a golf course, obviously, with a wedge and a putter. I think it's important to take your wedges and putters out there and hit some of the chip shots and work to some of the pin placements. With these greens, it's often quite predictable where the pin placements are going to be. There's often three or four sections to these greens, and that's where the pin locations are going to be. And just kind of understanding which ones you can be aggressive to, which ones you have to respect. So I feel like I've actually got a clear vision of the golf course.

Q. Is that Monday, Tuesday?
JUSTIN ROSE: Tuesday, Wednesday.

Q. Justin, when you come to the last Major of the year and given the fact that Augusta is now eight months away come Sunday night, is there ever a sense to sort of want to push the pedal a bit harder in this last Major?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, it's the last opportunity to win one. Obviously, a good year becomes a phenomenal year with a Major championship. It's what I strive for. It's what I build my year around really is the Majors. So, absolutely, you're very keenly aware that this is the last opportunity, for sure.

I don't think pressing any harder does you any good. I think -- this is an interesting golf course. There's a lot of talk about everybody attacking it, everybody going for it, everybody doing all that type of stuff, but you can't force the ball in the hole. I think you've just got to let the week develop. But if you find yourself in contention down the stretch, you'll be fully aware of what this means.

THE MODERATOR: Justin Rose, appreciate your time. Have a terrific week, Agent 99.

JUSTIN ROSE: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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