“I nonetheless imagine there’s good things in entrance of me,” stated Justin Rose after scoring a record-breaking seven-shot victory within the Farmers Insurance coverage Open final weekend.
Torrey Pines is the venue the place Tiger Woods has gained eight occasions and holds nearly each document there’s.
However Rose eclipsed one in all Tiger’s landmarks on the clifftop course in California.
No-one had ever bettered Tiger’s profitable rating of 22-under however with rounds of 62-65-68-70, Rose beat it by a shot.
“Sorry T-dub, should you’re watching,” joked Rose, who added that he was “keenly conscious” of Woods’ document.
Rose is now a two-time winner of the Farmers Insurance coverage Open and has moved as much as No.3 on the earth golf rankings.
However one factor dominates the 45-year-old’s pondering with the clock ticking on his stellar profession – profitable one other main.
Rose joined the membership when touchdown the 2013 US Open at Merion however he’s suffered heartache in different majors, 5 occasions ending as a runner-up.
Requested what objectives he’s nonetheless chasing, Rose stated at Torrey Pines: “Majors is the place I’ve my consideration, for positive.
“I’ve achieved quite a bit within the recreation, however I’ve achieved a variety of it simply as soon as. So I’ll take a number of of something that I’ve achieved for positive could be nice.
“If I have a look at my profession, yeah, I’ve been actually near the Open, I’ve been actually near the Masters.
“The dream of profitable all 4 was clearly the last word aim since I’ve been a child however it appears a good distance off to suppose that means.
“But when you consider a few of the outcomes I’ve had within the final 12 months or 18 months, I’m not that distant so might as effectively hold believing.”
So what are Rose’s possibilities of including a second main or extra in 2026? We assess his possibilities.
The Masters
Rose has an outstanding document at Augusta Nationwide however his Masters profession – thus far – can be one in all heartache. Rose had a back-nine run on the 2007 Masters earlier than ending fifth and completed second in 2015 though a distant 4 photographs again from Jordan Spieth.
Nevertheless it’s the 2017 and 2025 Masters the place the harm runs deepest after he obtained to the brink however got here up agonisingly brief. In 2017, he held a two-shot lead within the last spherical earlier than dropping a playoff to good good friend Sergio Garcia.
Final 12 months, he once more obtained his nostril in entrance late on day 4 however as soon as extra needed to play the bridesmaid after dropping to Rory McIlroy on the first additional gap after each had completed at 11-under.
Many felt it was Rory’s future to win the Inexperienced Jacket however maybe it’s Rose’s too. There would absolutely be no extra deserved winner.
Verdict: Rose’s possibilities of lastly being a Masters winner have to be excellent. The bookies have him round eighth to tenth within the betting, with some as brief as 20/1.
PGA Championship
Whereas it’s well-known that Rose has been an elite performer at Augusta, few would guess that he’s had simply as many high 10s (seven) within the PGA Championship as The Masters.
The distinction is that he’s by no means actually threatened to win one as even his better of tied third in 2012 left him 9 again of McIlroy at Kiawah Island.
In his solely different high 5, the Englishman was six strokes adrift of Jason Day at Whistling Straits in 2015. However with 4 high 10s within the final six editions, this occasion provides him a real probability – and even perhaps extra so than ever this 12 months. In 2026, the event heads to Aronimink in Pennsylvania and that’s excellent news for Rose on two ranges.
Firstly, Pennsylvania was the place he gained his solely main thus far, the 2013 US Open at Merion. Secondly, Rose boasts an outstanding document at Aronimink.
The course has staged simply three PGA Tour occasions however Rose gained the primary of these, the 2010 AT&T Nationwide, and misplaced a play-off to Keegan Bradley in the latest, the 2018 BMW Championship.
Verdict: For the reason that event moved to Might (beforehand August) in 2019, Rose has thrived with 4 high 10s and a thirteenth within the final six PGAs. With a superb document at Aronimink, he have to be on the short-list.
US Open
Rose is a significant winner because of his two-shot victory at Merion in 2013. In ultra-tough circumstances, he took the title with an over-par rating of +1.
This 12 months, the US Open heads to Shinnecock which has twice performed host this century. Within the first of these, a then 23-year-old Rose had a little bit of a nightmare, capturing 15-over to overlook the minimize by 9 photographs.
However in 2018 he opened 71-70 to take a seat fourth at midway and was only a single stroke off the tempo after 54 holes earlier than ending tenth. Rose’s second-best end within the event is tied third at Pebble Seaside in 2019 however, surprisingly, since then he’s missed the minimize in 5 of the final six.
Verdict: His latest document within the occasion is poor however he has some optimistic reminiscences of Shinnecock. Don’t rule it out.
Open Championship
Rose made his identify in The Open when he famously completed tied fourth at Royal Birkdale in 1998 when nonetheless an newbie. The place is the event this 12 months? Yep, Royal Birkdale.
For some time, Rose might make no additional impression within the occasion, failing to crack the highest 10 in his subsequent 12 appearances. He lastly managed tied sixth at St Andrews in 2015 and since then Rose has twice gone near being topped “the champion golfer of the 12 months”. In 2018, he was tied second at Carnoustie, ending simply two again from winner Francesco Molinari.
And in 2024, he completed joint runner-up once more having needed to undergo qualifying even to make it to Royal Troon. Rose had a bit of the lead in spherical 4 however ultimately completed two adrift of Xander Schauffele.
Verdict: That is one of the best main for older gamers. Ranging from 2011, 4 gamers of their 40s have lifted the Claret Jug in order that bodes effectively for Rose.
On condition that he made his identify at Royal Birkdale as an newbie, it could be some fantastic symmetry if Rose might return there as a professional 28 years later and win there as a professional.
Learn extra: How the celebs might align rapidly for returning Brooks Koepka
