THE 152ND OPEN

July 21, 2024

Justin Rose

Mixed Zone

Q. Justin, what's your overriding emotion right now?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, pretty -- two emotions: Gutted when I walked off the course and it hit me hard because I was so strong out there today. I kind of got off to the start I wanted. I really played the way I wanted to today. I got off on the front foot. I played my way right into the tournament early doors. Felt comfortable with it all day. Did a lot of the hard things really well on the golf course today.

Yeah, just a critical moment midway through the back nine just momentum-wise. Obviously Xander got it going. I hit a couple of really good putts that didn't fall, and then suddenly that lead stretched.

In terms of how I played and the execution of my emotions today, my mindset, I left it all out there. I'm super proud of how I competed.

Q. You can't have too many regrets.

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, that's the deal I made with myself today to come off with no regrets. Obviously, yeah, I'll have a few more chances, of course, but you know that this is a great opportunity today. You want to walk off the golf course going, yeah, I didn't squander that.

I ran putts at the hole today. I feel like I had opportunities. I felt like I took a lot of them. But I felt super comfortable out there, which the fact that I haven't really been in contention much this year, that gives me a lot of heart.

Q. A lot of positives, it seems.

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, a lot of positives.

Q. You've never lost the belief that you can win more majors, but does this week reinforce that you can do it again?

JUSTIN ROSE: Fore sure. Two ways this year, the PGA Championship at Valhalla, which is on a golf course that probably shouldn't suit me that well, which is a bomber's paradise. I got myself right in the mix there until a couple of late bogeys, but I was in the hunt right there as well back nine Sunday.

Two major championships this year, strongest fields in golf, they've been my two best weeks.

Yeah, I've got a lot of confidence that I can -- like I said, that's what I'm gunning for. That's what I'm working hard for is to have these big time moments in my career.

I felt like Rome was one of them a few months back. I put that up there in terms of what it meant to me, in terms of what I'm looking for toward the end of my career. I'm looking for those big stage moments, and today was nearly it. It was a lot of fun.

Q. What did you see out of Xander today?

JUSTIN ROSE: A guy at the top of his game, a guy that has all the attributes that make him a great player and a great champion.

He's obviously now learning that the winning is easy. He has a lot of horsepower, do you know what I mean? In the sense of he's good with a wedge, he's great with a putter, he hits the ball a long way, obviously his iron play is strong. So he's got a lot of weapons out there.

I think probably one of his most unappreciated ones is his mentality. He's such a calm guy out there. I don't know what he's feeling, but he certainly makes it look very easy. He plays with a freedom, which kind of tells you as a competitor that he's probably not feeling a tonne of the bad stuff. He's got a lot of runway ahead and a lot of exciting stuff ahead, I'm sure.

Q. I was going to ask the same thing about freedom. You made your mark in this tournament a long time ago, and here you still are. Can you play this particular tournament with more freedom than you can others?

JUSTIN ROSE: No, I don't think so. It's probably harder because you want it more. I don't think -- no. It's the inner battle, right? You want it, but you've got to not want it too much in order to not impede your performance. So that's always a dance that we do.

Q. A bunch of people noticed you're wearing the same colour jumper as when you won. Was that intentional?

JUSTIN ROSE: It's a nice coincidence. I've worn blue all week because a lot of my wet suit stuff has been blue, sweaters have been blue. I thought, okay, I'm bored of blue, and this was literally the only colour available.

Obviously I was aware of -- I also won the FedExCup in this colour too. It was kind of a thought, let's go back to the well. Third time lucky.

Q. When the putt rolls in on 18, what's in your head?

JUSTIN ROSE: Well, I won second place, I won points, I won prizes, FedExCup points, all that stuff too. At that point, you're being a professional.

Then I walk ten steps later, and I'm choking back tears. So that's the shift. Yeah, just personal, and enjoying 18 with the fans too. I just think it's such an amazing stage. For me, like that's the best look in golf, those two long grandstands that you walk down and the big yellow leaderboard. That's what I associate as a magic moment.

Obviously making a putt any time, if you're 30th, 20th, 10th, always a fun moment in a tournament. Professionally, that was an important putt as well.

Q. Do you take something from the careers seem to last a bit longer these days? Used to be mid-40s was it. Obviously you're getting close to that.

JUSTIN ROSE: I would say life's been harder for sure the last five, six years in terms of parenting and kids getting older, obviously more entrenched. They're less mobile. They can't travel as much. There's more demands on us as a family.

I have a feeling we're going to come through the other side where in the not too distant future it's going to get easier where the kids don't want to know you anymore. Dad, crack on, do what you need to do.

Yeah, I think I'm coming to a good stage of my career again. I've adapted to living -- travelling a lot more than I used to, but I'm kind of learning how that all feels and works. Hopefully I can find a nice balance again and compete.

Q. You're not worried about that aspect of it?

JUSTIN ROSE: No, I've put a lot of time and effort and resources into my health and wellness, and hopefully I can stretch that out. Still hungry for it, and this increases that hunger, yeah.

Q. Americans have won all four majors this year. Are you worried?

JUSTIN ROSE: I mean, well, I shouldn't be worried. They're great players, do you know what I mean? It doesn't surprise me that some of the top players in the world are American, 100 percent. Scottie, Xander, obviously Bryson came out and proved again that he's a top player. Who am I missing?

Q. Xander got two.

JUSTIN ROSE: Of course he did, yeah. Huge year for Xander. It doesn't surprise me, though. He's got all the weapons.

Q. Did you talk about this feeling well and The Open days with Henrik this week?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, there was a lot of things this week that felt good, you know what I mean? Playing two nine holes with Henrik, I really enjoyed that.

We took a photograph together on the 18th green basically where the pin was with the clubhouse in the background. I just wanted it for my own records and memory, being there with my mate where he won The Open Championship.

I remember that we took that photo, and I was like, damn, wouldn't it be cool if I could do the double and that photo is actually a meaningful photograph.

So, yeah, there were lots of things this week that felt like things were lining up nicely.

Q. As your kids have gotten older, is it neat to have them experience some of your career that they were young for and see that their dad is a really good golfer?

JUSTIN ROSE: That would be nice. They're always proud of me. Obviously they're very philosophical. They get it. They know it's hard.

Yeah, you want them to see you as a winner. They know that, and they know all that stuff. But, yeah, as I get older, it would be kind of cooler to share that with them as well.