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WGC BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL

August 5, 2007

Justin Rose

AKRON, OHIO

GORDON SIMPSON: Well played, a final round of 68 and you're still vying for 2nd place. Tell us about what happened. You got to the putt for 30 out.
JUSTIN ROSE: I did, yeah. I had a putt for 30 out, and obviously that was key to my round on the front nine. I've actually found for some reason the front nine harder than the back nine this week. But today I drove the ball much, better on the front nine. Holes 8 and 9, in my opinion, if you get a good drive they become birdie holes and if you miss the fairway they're bogey holes.
GORDON SIMPSON: You must be extremely pleased with another big tournament and another big finish as you look at the WGCs and the majors this year.
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I've certainly played well at the right times this year. I'm excited about the momentum I've built up going into next week and also pleased with the way I hung in there this week, because I was off at the start of my game but managed to stick around par or as close to par as I could, and today I got in with playing much better.

Q. How is your back?
JUSTIN ROSE: Back is all right, yeah. It's good. Still taking good care of it, still being a little careful and not over-practicing, which is probably a good thing, probably helping my golf, too. Yeah, I'm in good shape.

Q. Do you think you've learned something that you can apply in the future as far as the number of tournaments you play?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I think it's going to be an interesting year of scheduling for me, schedule-wise next year. Twice this year I've had five weeks off and come back and played very well. Obviously sometimes it's very difficult to look at tournaments that you have played in the past and done well at or tournaments you want to generally play and take them off because you feel like you're better off practicing or resting up.
But I think I have learned a lot about my schedule. Slightly cutting back has probably been a good thing. I don't know, I think it's also helped my World Ranking, the fact that I played 60 tournaments in two years and now it's down to 52, which obviously World Rankings don't average points, so it seems to be helping that.
GORDON SIMPSON: You must have a place in the top 20 now I would think?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I would say certainly so, yeah.

Q. Is there a point where you just felt you were playing for second, that you realized what was going on with Tiger?
JUSTIN ROSE: I mean, to be honest, I hadn't looked at a leaderboard all through the front nine. I kind of felt like I was getting myself into the golf tournament, and then I looked at the leaderboard and I think I saw Tiger at 7-under and thought, oh, well, we're playing for second, and obviously that's what it turned out to be. It was a bit of a scrap coming in to not sort of drop shots, but conditions got difficult at the end and I knew if I parred in I was going to be in decent shape.

Q. What's your theory as to why Tiger has won six of his past eight here? I know he's a great player, but his record here is better than any other course he plays on.
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I mean, I don't know really, to be honest. It's a major-style golf course. I suppose, if you look at his record in the majors, he seems to be right up there, first, second, third all the time pretty much. So I guess the harder the course, the more it suits him in some ways. He's a great scrambler, really good short game. I think the greens here are pure, and he's obviously got the knack of reading them well. Although the surfaces are unbelievable, they can be quite tough greens to read. He seems to have that mastered.

Q. If you could describe, please, the mental attitude when somebody is so far in front and you're playing for second place. Is there a letdown inside of you -- not only you but anybody, or is a golfer fighting just as hard to finish second as he might to finish first?
JUSTIN ROSE: Well, I think Rory Sabbatini and I were in different situations today. For me, vying for second place was an exciting prospect. I really worked my way into the golf tournament. I don't know where I started the day, 12th or whatever it was, so for me it was a good day. With Rory maybe it's a slight letdown where obviously all week he's been right in front, right in the lead. But at the same time, second place is still very much worth playing for, especially when someone is seven or eight ahead. I think he's got to accept that second is the next best thing, if there is such a thing.

Q. Despite your limited playing schedule this year, as we've said, you've played well in all the big events. How happy are you with your progression up the World Rankings?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I mean, I'm delighted, really. My goal at the beginning of the year was to get myself in the top 20 in the World Rankings, and I would say that I've -- you know, there's still a few tournaments to go, but certainly I'm right there up with my goals, and I've sort of -- obviously I'd like to certainly go on and win a golf tournament this year. I think that would make a good year a great year, but up until now I'm delighted with the way I'm playing.
GORDON SIMPSON: You described your preparation yourself as rushed because of where you were last week. Does that overwhelm you for next week when you have a proper preparation going into Southern Hills?
JUSTIN ROSE: I don't know, maybe I should arrive there Wednesday, I'm not sure (laughing). To be honest, I think the reason I played well in the majors this year is because I prepared well and prepared hard for them, and that seems to have stood -- it's worked out well for me. So certainly this next week I'll be doing my best to be 100 percent ready by the time Thursday comes.

Q. Will you travel tomorrow?
JUSTIN ROSE: I'm going to travel tonight and going to take a day off tomorrow, and then I'll have a good Tuesday and Wednesday.

Q. Do you know the course? Have you been there before?
JUSTIN ROSE: No, I don't, actually.

Q. You haven't had a practice round there?
JUSTIN ROSE: No. I've done that for -- it seems to be the hardest one to get a pre-practice round in for, the PGA. The schedule gets more and more hectic as the year goes on, so it's tough to find that gap. I've done that for the Open, The Masters, the U.S. Open, but it's harder to do it for this one.
GORDON SIMPSON: A fantastic week, well played, and good luck at Southern Hills.
JUSTIN ROSE: Thanks.

End of FastScripts

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