PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 20, 2023

Justin Rose

Oak Hill Country Club

Flash Quotes

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THE MODERATOR: Justin Rose is with us on the third day of the 105th PGA Championship.

Q. When the weather turns as bad as it has today and you're on a difficult course and everything seems to be uphill, why do you do so well? You play tough courses well.

JUSTIN ROSE: Well, yeah. It's felt like that for days 1 and 2, as well. What we had in rain today, we lost in wind, so kind of net-net it didn't feel like the course played any harder. Then there was a moment actually where the rain stopped and actually -- sort of coincided with me playing a little bit better around the turn, holes 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, started to feel like I was really getting on the front foot. I know I got right up there near the top end of the leaderboard, and yeah, that was good.

But yeah, this is kind of -- it definitely is my MO, I suppose. Definitely won on tough golf courses historically, and I think it's more -- not necessarily I hit the ball any better on these types of golf courses, I just think I manage my game a bit better. I kind of know what's required and maybe stay a little bit more patient and understand the test that is required to play these courses well.

Q. You had your hat on backwards periodically there today. How much does that help?

JUSTIN ROSE: My hat on backwards? It makes me feel cool. (Laughter.) Young. Hip.

No, I had it on backwards I think for one hole, the 7th hole. I had a putt there on hole No. 6 where my hat was starting to drip, and actually the 7th tee box it actually put me off a little bit, top of my backswing, had a couple of droplets fall down and distracted me, so that's the reason just to put it on backwards.

But I did have a dry hat in the bag. For the rest of the round when the rain got a little lighter, I changed hats and that wasn't a problem.

Q. Do you think you've done that in a major before?

JUSTIN ROSE: No, but I saw Adam Scott do it on the second hole of the day, so that kind of maybe it why I thought that was a good idea. I thought, this is annoying me, so let's flip it.

Q. Not that your caddie isn't crucial every day, but how important is your caddie and player relationship on a day with conditions like you had out there?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, it's just as challenging for the caddies on a day like today. They probably wish they had an extra set of hands on them. There's a lot going on with juggling. I feel like they're doing everything at twice the speed, so it's probably -- it's a day where you've got to be patient with each other. There's a bit of teamwork, more teamwork involved out there, just me being more patient after a shot, not just racing down the fairway to my next shot, kind of going back to the bag, having the umbrella there, making sure he's got time to get the club dry back in the bag, so definitely a bit more teamwork today.

Q. You managed to beat your playing partner by a shot, but he's been quite the story this week. Your impressions of Michael Block after today?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, great guy. I didn't know him until today, and it was great that we actually got -- once the umbrellas came down, obviously it's pretty tough to get to know someone when we're all battling it, but yeah, around the turn there, middle of the round, I felt like he was rooting for me and I was rooting for him, and the crowd was certainly rooting for him. He's having fun with them and they're having fun with him. It was a really great energy out there to play with today, and he plays in a sort of a carefree way, just his mannerisms and routine and the way he kind of one look, hit, especially with his putter. He looks very, very strong with that club.

I wish him well tomorrow, and I know he's got a couple of sort of teenage boys who will be super proud of him, so that's pretty cool.

Q. That was going to be my question, but when you talk about the energy, how much does that help your game when there's that energy around your gallery, when they're rooting for Michael --

JUSTIN ROSE: Someone else, yeah.

Q. I didn't mean it that way. But he seems to be a sensation of some sort that's caught people's attention.

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, for sure. Listen, it's nice to feel, but at times, I had to -- I actually called in my caddie for a couple of reads on four-, five-footers not because I wanted him to really read the putt, but it slowed me down, and it let the crowd settle and it just kind of made -- it gave me a legitimate way of just kind of not feeling like I was having to manage the situation or manage the crowd or deal with them, waiting for them to settle down.

There are moments out there where energy is great but also needs to be managed, as well, if you're not careful.