Hilton Head Island, S.C. — Justin Rose’s drive far from Augusta National made him realize how close he was to winning the Masters.
His phone continued to buzz along the way to Hilton Head Island, texting one after another. He has the same message he praised his incredible rally and expressed the message of the committee and sadness of the dolphin for the runner-up to Rory McIlroy.
Rose started off with the lead with the final round seven shots. He made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th at 66. He was playing a playoff where he died suddenly. He lost with a great shot by McIlroy, who hit a gap wedge three feet for a birdie.
It was difficult to handle.
“A lot of pours come on me from people who have a lot of positive comments, so I’m trying to absorb that and absorb the week,” Rose said Wednesday in the RBC legacy. “But at the same time, I just look at my phone and hope there’s another message there.”
This is the path he knows well.
Rose took a two-shot lead on six holes playing for the 2017 Masters. This, like his good friend McIlroy, had the most unlikely rally to force the playoffs and beat Rose in the first extra hole.
Rose was classy in that day’s defeat in 2017. He dabbed Garcia’s cheek lovingly, they held him, and Rose smacked Garcia with his heart. He knew what that meant for the talented Spaniard who played 70 majors before winning.
He was equally elegant on Sunday, saying McIlroy was pleased to witness such an important opportunity in his career grand slam.
That still hurts.
He searched for the right words. Rose was proud of how he played to match his low score and 66 in the final round. In one of the majors’ must-see moments, he poured a birdie into the final hole. There were a lot of things right. However, there was no green jacket.
“Hey… I don’t know what the correct words are,” he said. “Perhaps it was tormented by the idea of what happened.”
He joined Ben Hogan as the only player to lose two playoffs at Master, but it may have been worse for Rose as both losses died suddenly. He now has at least a share of the lead after 12 rounds at the Masters. The fourth on the list behind Jack Nicklaus (19), Arnold Palmer (18) and Gary Player (12) won 13 green jackets.
He has won 23 wins worldwide. This includes majors in the US Open and Olympic gold medals in Rio de Janeiro. He also has the distinction of congratulating the Masters Champion three times on the 18th Green in the last decade. Jordans Piece in 2015, Garcia in 2017, McIlroy on Sunday.
When he last lost a Master in the playoffs, Rose said it remained for about a month. Certainly, he made some bogeys that he would like to return from the final round Sunday. That applies to everyone in any golf tournament. There’s still a stab wound to see someone else win.
Rose wants to look back at what followed the losses in 2017. He won three more times that year, including his second World Golf Championship title. He won the FedEx Cup the following year, and for the first time he rose to number one in the world.
“Looking back at the best golf, from August 2017 to the end of 2018, it was probably the best consistent golf I’ve ever played,” Rose said. “Obviously, I was a little more at the height of my career around that time, or you could have discussed the Prime Minister more.”
Rose, who became a professional teenager in 1998, turns 45 at the end of July.
“But I don’t know why this time it’s not the same,” Rose said. “I’m working fine. I’m working hard. I feel good about my games. I’ve been saying games are good all year round. I only show up four times a year, so I need to make sure I’m playing consistently to give them the opportunity.”
Rose can’t help but think about how long it will take him to the PGA Championship at Quazur Hollow next month. A shot at the career Grand Slam himself – temporarily tied to Sunday’s lead at Royal Toon, a playoff loss at the Masters.
“The last two majors I was there were beaten by the world’s top players at the peak of their game,” he said.
What keeps him going at this stage? He will finish his 28th year as a professional in July.
It’s a Sunday-like moment, it’s in its thickness and provides a clutch moment. I had a birdie putt at Augusta on the 18th. He had an 8-foot putt on the 18th hole of the 2023 Ryder Cup, earning a key half. Last summer, it marked the 18th day at Royal Toon, and thousands of feet were showing their appreciation.
“I’m close to some seriously good,” Rose said.