Justin Rose: Masters ‘that ended because of 13-year major drought’
Justin Rose said his latest performance at the Masters was an “opportunity missed” as he let go of the final round lead and missed out on the green jacket once again.
The Englishman, a three-time runner-up at Augusta National, was unable to shed his ‘almost man’ tag as he finished joint third at 10 under – two behind Rory McIlroy, who defeated Rose in a play-off last year and successfully defended his title on Sunday.
Rose stormed the front nine and took the lead by two shots at the turn but faltered on the 11th and 12th holes of Amen Corner and was unable to recover.
The 45-year-old, who aspired to be the oldest first-time Masters champion, stated, “I wasn’t completely free and clear, nor was I close to completing the task, but I was in excellent shape.”
A bogey on the 11th hole halted Rose’s momentum, while a bad chip on the prestigious par-three 12th hole cost him another shot.
He found the par-five 13th green in two but sent an eagle opportunity whizzing past the hole and was forced to settle for par with a three-putt.
His bid for a second major title vanished with another bogey on the 17th, extending a drought of 13 years since his 2013 US Open victory.
Rose said, “I was really in control.
In the first 10 holes, I felt like I was racing through the finish line, with the mentality of not just trying to get it done.
“I was playing pretty well, but the momentum changed for me around Amen Corner. That three-putt was definitely untimely.”
Rose was praised for his great sportsmanship in congratulating McIlroy after last year’s play-off, and he received a warm welcome from patrons on the 18th, as he shot a two-under 70 to tie for third place with Cameron Young, Tyrrell Hatton, and Russell Henley.
However, Rose said that the underperformance this year was more disappointing than the play-off defeat 12 months ago.
“I feel like after a sudden-death loss, you know you’re home,” said Rose, who lost an Augusta playoff to Sergio Garcia in 2017.
“You’ve done everything you can to win, then sometimes it comes down to a coin toss.
“Today I felt like there was an opportunity to do better, so obviously it’s disappointing.”
Although it was “another little pinch” for Rose in his 21st Masters appearance, he hasn’t given up on his dreams of the green jacket just yet.
“I’ll just keep knocking on that door. See you next year, Augusta,” he posted on X.
