Justin Rose accepts losing out to Rory McIlroy in a play-off at the Masters may have impacted subsequent performances but believes he is now over his “comedown”.
The Englishman was edged out by his Ryder Cup team-mate in a thrilling finale at Augusta in April, a birdie at the first extra hole seeing McIlroy complete the career Grand Slam.
Rose felt he did little wrong after shooting 66 on the last day to fire himself into contention, but since that runners-up finish he has missed three cuts, including the two other majors, and not come higher than 42nd prior to Sunday’s sixth place at the Scottish Open.
I gave it everything….
— Justin ROSE (@JustinRose99) April 14, 2025
Congratulations @McIlroyRory on winning the @TheMasters and completing the Grand Slam.. very cool sharing the green with you in that moment…
Thank you Team🌹 as always for all the support during the week… We go again 👊🏻 pic.twitter.com/vLtMSEFxAs
“Obviously I’ve had a bit of a comedown off the back of the Masters. I feel like I’m coming back around to having more energy and focus again,” said the 44-year-old, who is bidding to become the first Englishman to win the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.
“It’s been a weird one because I don’t really feel like I had to get over it because I didn’t necessarily feel completely devastated by it either.
“I felt like I could walk away with my head held high, so from that point of view I didn’t really feel like there was much baggage or much to get over.
“I think what was difficult is having just the micro-moments, with everybody you meet for the next couple of months wanting to talk to you about it.
“In that way it’s hard to get past it. It’s a subconscious, it’s not even a conscious thing. I think I’m over it. I don’t know. Who knows?”
McIlroy represents a significant hurdle again this week and Rose thinks following his Masters win the Northern Irishman can flourish on home soil at Royal Portrush after his disappointment of missing the cut there in 2019.
“Rory is obviously a local hero around here and rightly so. The legend around him in these parts has been growing for a long time,” he added.
“I feel like the pressure is off him almost from that point of view this time around…the fact he’s got nothing really more to prove.
“This would just be like cherries on top of everything. I feel like probably he’s in a good mindset.”
McIlroy’s form this year has already guaranteed him a spot in Europe’s Ryder Cup team to face the United States in New York in September.
Rose is currently eighth on the list – only the top six qualify automatically – so this is a significant week for his prospects.
“I think the only way to make the team is by having no head space about what happens if you don’t make the team,” he said.
“It has to be all-consuming. It is a huge goal. I feel like I definitely want to be in that team in New York. It’s going to be an awesome experience, one I want to be a part of inside the ropes with my golf clubs.
“I think those are the moments that I’m looking for. That’s where I’m finding the joy and what I’m chasing at this point in my career are the big moments in the sport, whether that’s Ryder Cups, major championships.
“Those are the memories I’m trying to make. I feel like I’ve been lucky enough to achieve a lot in the game so I’m just trying to really add to those highlights now and obviously Ryder Cup offers a huge opportunity to do that.”
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