BIRKDALE, England, July 14 - Justin Rose returns to Royal Birkdale this week for the Open Championship, chasing the Claret Jug on the course where he burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998.
Rose chipped in on the final hole that year to grab a share of fourth place and announce himself to the wider golf world.
After turning professional he missed 21 consecutive cuts, but he has gone on to become a major champion, an Olympic champion and a multiple Ryder Cup winner with Europe.
The Open, though, has remained out of reach despite tying for second place in 2018 at Carnoustie and in 2024 at Troon.
“The Open Championship for a British player is the pinnacle of the game. It's the one that I would love to win the most, I think, for sure,” he said.
Rose said he would always regret finishing his career without a Claret Jug, but remained optimistic about his chances. "The Open Championship offers you the longest runway of an opportunity to win one, so there's plenty of time left," he said.
“Royal Birkdale is always going to be a special place for me. It's always going to bring back those memories of that kid chipping in and all the magical feelings I experienced that week with the crowd getting behind me — sort of a true underdog story.
“The fact that it was my last event as an amateur, holing that shot to seal off my amateur career was as cool a moment as I could have had."
Rose, who at 45 finished tied for third at this year's Masters, is still ranked No. 10 in the world and about to tee it up in another Birkdale Open almost three decades on.
“If I think about that, that's an amazing achievement - just to have the will to keep wanting to be here, more than anything," said the Englishman.
“Would I love to be a multiple major champion? Yes. Do I feel I could have pushed towards close to a Grand Slam? Yes. I've had results that nearly put me in that realm," he said.
“I've kind of achieved pretty much what there is to achieve in the game, albeit once only.
“Would I want to do it again and think I could do better? I think I'd probably pass. I'd probably say I'll stick."
(Reporting by Neil Squires; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
