Having posted runner-up finishes in each of the past two seasons – he was second to Xander Schauffele at the 2024 Open at Royal Troon before falling to McIlroy’s play-off birdie in the Masters a year ago – the majors are his priority.
There’s an Open at Royal Birkdale in July, the venue where he announced himself by chipping in at the last to finish fourth as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998. But the Masters has extra resonance given his remarkable record there.
He has been runner-up three times, having shared second place with Phil Mickelson behind Jordan Spieth in 2015.
A record five times, including last year, he has held the first-round lead and on nine occasions has led or jointly led the game’s most glamorous tournament.
No golfer is owed anything by any venue or any tournament, but Rose is as entitled as anyone to call in some Augusta favours. Last year it was a three over par third round that proved his undoing.
He partnered Bryson DeChambeau, who played himself into the final pairing with McIlroy while Rose went backwards after holding the halfway lead with opening rounds of 65 and 71.
“I actually played way better than Bryson that day, but his short game was great,” Rose told me. “He turned a 75 into 69 and I turned 69 into 75.
“It was one of those days when you come off and realise you’ve given away too many cheap ones. I did live to rue that for sure.
“I had to pick myself up. I had to change my mindset coming into Sunday, reframe everything and not make it about the tournament, just make it about Augusta National.
“I had to remember how special Sunday is there no matter what position you are in. I played with a lot of gratitude on that Sunday which put me in a nice free mindset which obviously led to some great golf.”
While McIlroy was travelling on one of golf’s most dramatic rollercoaster rides, Rose slotted putt after putt, especially on the inward half. “Ten birdies on a Sunday at Augusta was seriously amazing golf,” said Rose.
“Holing that birdie putt on 18 to give myself a chance and then two great swings in the play-off.”
He was inches from making birdie in the shootout, unlucky that his ball did not tumble down the slope to the hole-side in the same way as McIlroy’s approach managed to do.
“That will provide good memories for me and a positive experience as much as it stings,” Rose said.
Ultimately the moment belonged to McIlroy, but Rose won plaudits not just for his golf but his gracious sportsmanship, embracing the victor despite the huge disappointment of yet another near miss.
“People were really kind to me after that,” Rose said. “I was just voicing how I felt.
“I had learned a lot from the 2017 play-off. I controlled what I felt like I could control. I made good swings. I executed under the pressure and sometimes you can’t make the ball do exactly what you want it to do.
“But you know if you’ve done a good job or not. So I think because of that I was able to be happy for Rory in the moment. And obviously to witness history, separate yourself from your emotions for a moment, it was a cool arena to be in.”
This will be Rose’s 21st attempt at Augusta. How fitting it would be this Sunday if he were he to find a way to come of age as a Masters champion.
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