Thursday,
February 5, 2004 15:37 GMT
Justin Rose interview |
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| Justin
Rose |
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As
Hampshire golfer Justin Rose heads off to make his debut on the notoriously
tough US Tour, he spoke to BBC South's Roger Johnson about his career
so far, and the challenges ahead. |
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It's
nearly six years since a 17 year-old Justin Rose put in his now famous
thrilling display at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
He stayed close to the leaders through the tournament and dramatically
chipped in from the rough on the last hole to take fourth place overall.
The amateur teenager from Fleet in Hampshire was immediately hailed
as the great hope for British golf, and despite not immediately hitting
the heights in the professional game, he has established himself as
one of the most mature young golfers on the circuit.
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| Justin
Rose practicing at the 2003 Open at Sandwich |
After
winning the Dunhill championship at the start of 2002 in Johannesburg,
the city of his birth. Justin went on to win the Nashua Masters title
in South Africa and the Crowns Tournament in Japan before winning
his second European Tour title – the Victor Chandler British Masters
– after an epic tussle with his close friend Ian Poulter.
Big business pays big bucks for personable young golfers - at 23,
Justin offers the sort of star endorsement companies want and has
just launched his own golf tuition DVD.
2004 holds new challenges. Justin is planning to divide his time between
the European and US Tours. It's not that he's completely conquered
Europe yet - he just wants a new test:
"I've always wanted to play more in America and the opportunity
has come up."
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| Life
in the glare of publicity |
Despite
the gruelling pace of the US Tour, Justin is determined not to lose
track of his roots:" I still keep in touch with my school mates
and all the lads from North Hants Golf Club who I started playing
golf with."
"It's important to come home and have a place to feel grounded
where you can go out and have a beer and not feel you have to talk
about golf."
"The tour is a funny place - it's like a big boarding school
on the road - different places but the same old faces, but I've got
a good bunch of mates in America so I'm looking forward to it."
Justin's
trip to the States follows a difficult period in his life - his father,
Ken passed away in 2002 after a long battle against leukaemia. Ken
had been Justin's coach and mentor throughout his career:
"When I look back it's amazing to think how I competed and performed
so well when there were so many mixed emotions going on in my mind."
Despite his illness, Ken still managed to see many of Justin's greatest
achievements:
"I won the British Masters at Woburn and my dad was actually
there on the 18th green and that will remain my most special win wherever
and whenever I play."
"He put so much into my game, it was great for him to have some
reward as well. I remember having the Dunhill trophy in the hospital
ward at one point and that was a great tonic for him."
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| Justin
Rose's first round at the 2003 Open Championship |
It's
hard to believe Justin is only 23. Legend has it, he first swung a
club in his back garden at 11 months.
By the time he was 14, he had a handicap of plus three and played
in the 1997 Walker Cup at only 17.
Qualifying for the 2004 European Ryder Cup team is a big goal. If
he doesn't make it this year - it will only be a matter of time:
"I feel experience is an attribute of mine - time is still on
my side in terms of Ryder Cups etc and I can still carry on improving."
"You always need to rise up the world ranking, get into the top
10 and then eye up the number one spot - that's got to be the goal,
to chase Mr Woods down!"
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