ROCHESTER (N.Y.) — It’s easy to overlook the fact that England’s Justin Rose was a top ball striker in golf a few short years ago. He was a great ball striker, combining power and consistency both from the tee box and the fairway. These traits helped him win seven PGA Tour tournaments between 2010 and 2015, including the 2013 U.S. Open in Merion. He was ranked No. He was ranked No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Rose’s shortcoming was his putting. However, when he had a good week with his putter he was unbeatable.
Rose was then sidetracked by a series injuries, including a serious back injury which forced him to withdraw the 150th British Open in St. Andrews.
Rose’s results were not good (he missed five cuts on the PGA Tour last year and only recorded two top ten finishes), but his game was improving. In February, Rose won his first PGA Tour event since the Farmers Insurance Open at the AT&T Pebble beach Pro-Am.
At Oak Hill Country Club he has shown the form that could allow him to compete again in a major. Rose is 1 under par after shooting 70 in the second PGA Championship round. He’s still in the running despite Saturday’s expected rain and winds.
Rose, after signing his card on Friday, said: “I’ve always won more often than not when I play tougher golf courses. I believe [Oak Hill] suits my profile in that regard.” “This is up there. It feels a bit like a hybrid of PGA and U.S. Open this week. “I’m looking forward to the test.”
Rose’s putting is his greatest strength these days. Ironically, he was known for his ball striking when he first turned professional in 1999. You can see from the chart that he consistently ranked among the top putters of the PGA Tour over the past three seasons. His iron game has returned to form now that he is healthy. He could be a contender for Oak Hill.
Rose’s victory at Pebble Beach is also significant here in Rochester. He was asked whether his win in February had given him confidence.
He said, “I felt that the most important thing was to prove that I could win again.” “Not just winning but also how I won was important. Once I was in the winning position, I felt very comfortable. It was clear to me that I had to win now or I would never. I settled in well. This was the most important thing I learned at Pebble. I believe that the conditions are completely different. This is another test. “But yeah, I’ve already done it, and knowing that I can do it again, is important.”
On Friday, a loose pitch shot led to a bogey, and on the seventh hole, his tee-shot went into the rough to the left, resulting in another bogey. He only hit one of the 14 fairways he had to choose from. When asked how he managed to shoot 70 with just one fairway, he replied, “Smoke & mirrors I guess.”
Rose’s smoke and mirrors will not work for the next 36 holes. But if he continues to putt and straightens out his driving, then he will have proven that he knows how to win.
This is going to be a four-day course of making the most of every day.
By: David Dusek
Title: PGA Championship: Justin Rose continues comeback with 69-70 start at Oak Hill
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/05/19/2023-pga-championship-justin-rose-69-70-start-oak-hill/
Published Date: Fri, 19 May 2023 21:15:29 +0000
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