	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

TURKISH AIRLINES OPEN

November 4, 2018

Justin Rose

Antalya, Turkey

Q. The bunker shot on 18, incredible under pressure and to hold your nerve in the playoff, as well?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, there were moments out there where it looked like both of us weren't holding our nerve very well. It was quite tricky to putt to be coming in to be honest with you, and obviously 18, a scalp there at the end; that's a treacherous green and one you definitely needed to respect.

It was a fun battle. Obviously I got myself two ahead with a few to play. Haotong made a wonderful eagle at 15 and 16 we were both in there tight and I kind of got my nose in front again.

Yeah, disappointing for me to finish 5, 5, really. The 5 at 18, you can somewhat live with. The 5 at 17 I should have cleaned that hole up easier than I did. Ended up okay in the end.

And obviously I do have a spare thought for Haotong. Tough way to finish that. He's hit a positive putt to try and win, and that green, like I said, is very tough.

Q. First time you've successfully defended a title. How important to you is that?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, really important. It's taken me a long time to do it. Maybe I haven't won enough tournaments to give myself enough opportunities to defend, but you often -- this golf course obviously suits my eye, and when you do find a golf course that does suit your eyes, you feel like you should give yourself opportunities to win there, but to do it back-to-back is very special.

Q. And takes you back to world No. 1 which is a fantastic position to be in.
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, really nice. That's just something to be proud of. It doesn't mean much. Doesn't give you much. It certainly doesn't give you any extra -- doesn't make you 1-under par the first tee the next time you play but it's something to be proud of for sure.

Q. Talk about the emotions coming down the stretch and into the playoff.
JUSTIN ROSE: Obviously that's where it got tight for sure. Did a great job today, chipping away at, it didn't do anything crazy. Got myself 4- or 5-under for the round, maybe 5-under for the round, I can't remember, with a few holes to play and I was doing enough.

Haotong, he was playing well but just making the odd mistake here and there and he wasn't going away from the field. Obviously a situation where we both separated there with a few holes to play.

His eagle was wonderful there at 15. That's such a great par 5. I was just saying that he hit the perfect shot, drawing off the spine. I was a bit out of position off the tee but I had to cut it to the middle of the green. His ball works to the hole and mine worked away and as you can see I had a tough time 2-putting. It's a great par 5 and I knew that was a potential pivotal hole. Even though I was two ahead playing it, I wasn't really ahead of myself at the time, but get my nose in front.

17, I would have liked to have played the last couple tighter than I did. That 18th is a really wicked green.

Q. When you got the world No. 1 at the BMW Championship with a runner-up finish, called it bittersweet. How rewarding is it to get it this time with a victory?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I was very keenly aware of losing in a playoff to Keegan and my playoff record of late hasn't been great. I really wanted to buck that trend and get through this playoff today.

Fooch and I, we've learned from some of our mistakes in playoffs, and I was distracted by a cart on 18 playing Keegan, just tried to go through it.

Golf cart went behind me during the playoff; I had to take a moment. So it was amazing how I was challenged with the same mental thoughts as BMW, and kind of you learn -- even my sort of age and position in the game, you're still learning weekly and it was nice to putt this playoff away.

Q. You also said one of the stated goals this year was to defend a title and you have done that now. Where do you rank that in your career accomplishments?
JUSTIN ROSE: It's definitely one to know that you've done it. At the end of the day, when you would win a golf tournament, you like a golf course and coming back there should always be a good feeling. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet and it was nice to have done it this week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297