TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

June 25, 2021

Justin Rose

TPC River Highlands

Quick Quotes

Q. Justin, there was a 7-shot difference from yesterday to today. What was the difference in your eyes from your performance yesterday?

JUSTIN ROSE: I would say putter. I putted great today. Made a lot of mid- to long-range putts, which obviously got my scorecard lit up.

But probably started before that, just the mindset of not pushing too hard, not going to flags when I didn't have the right number or kind of hitting driver off holes that I wasn't front loading the gamble. Just being a bit more patient with my game.

I hit a few more 3-woods off the tee, got the ball in play, and was able to go from there. Yeah, I've not been playing my best really and I think that if you get overly aggressive with your mindset you can kind of then end up making silly mistakes.

When you're playing great, you can afford to make a silly mistake because you know you're going to make some birdies to kind of counteract that. But when you're not really fully flying, those little mistakes hurt you a bit more.

Q. Is that one of the biggest challenges coming from the U.S. Open where you make the cut or miss the cut to an event where guys go low?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, for sure, but my mindset today was to be patient; it wasn't to go low. It's kind of funny how you get the benefit of the patience not making those silly mistakes.

I think on a golf course where guys are going low the bogeys kind of hurt more. U.S. Open guys are going to make maybe a lot more mistakes, but your resilience is there. I think last week I was pretty off but I wasn't as far off as my scorecard reflected, so there was no panic.

Q. Since 2010, 36-hole leader hasn't won more than I think twice. Guys come from behind here almost every year. What is it about the mindset? What do get guys on this weekend?

JUSTIN ROSE: This golf course is tricky enough where when they start putting the pins near the edges of the greens, there are some tricky little swales and runoffs, and maybe then if you are playing with a lead you start off being a couple more yards conservative with your approach play.

Guys who've obviously got nothing to lose are sort of tightening up their lines into the greens. Obviously with this finish, there's some gut-check moments out there. 13 is a great option to make a birdie or an eagle, but also you can run up a 6 there quickly.

I think the mindset of chasing versus hanging on to a lead, those holes are critical, and obviously 15 as well. It kind of benefits the guy trying to make a run versus the guy leading. But ultimately when you're playing your best, you've got to free it up, and that's what great players are able to do is play free from the front.

Q. Do you think because Jim Furyk obviously a few years ago here shoots 58, we see 60s and really low 60s almost every day, do you think to some degree people don't appreciate how good a score that is on this particular golf course?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I mean, conditions are perfect, too. You've got to admit. It's been such a great couple of days of weather. I know this morning it was actually a bit funky, it rained there for a little bit. But there hasn't been much wind. The greens are just receptive enough to sort of -- and almost not too soft, because sometimes when they're too soft you can rip the wedges back, but they're kind of like that perfect one-bounce grab.

Very easy to control the ball and control the distance into the greens right now just where the weather conditions are.

Yeah, I think it's a great test of golf in a way. Yeah, you do know you have to get on the front foot, but there's many, many holes out there which have some teeth. It's a bit of respect needed, as well.