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■ ROSE IS FOCUSING ON WINNING MORE MAJORS AFTER REACHING WORLD NO.1 AT THE START OF THE YEAR
exactly what I wanted, and that was the key – what I wanted. I was going to be able to have a lot of input into the look, the design, the feel of my equipment, especially my irons, which gave me a lot of confidence. I’ve been working on this since last summer, but even so it was nice to come out and be able to play with confidence in my clubs, and my game, and hopefully answer a few questions.
LOOKING AFTER NO.1
After scaling the heights of the world rankings, it is adding to his major tally that is driving Justin Rose ever forwards
When you look at last year’s performances, what are Starting off the year ranked No.1 in the world, did you the specific areas you feel that you can improve on? feel any added pressure to keep the train rolling down I think my wedge play from 160 yards is the key area. the track, so to speak, and what did it feel like when My mid-to-long iron play has always been a strength of you finally reached that No.1 spot last year? mine, but I would say my wedge game is where I feel I can I’d always hoped and believed that one day I’d get improve most this year. there, but it wasn’t really on my radar until perhaps May last year, at the Players Championship, where there You put 11 new clubs in the bag over the winter was one of those unlikely scenarios that it might be a following your joining Honma Golf. How much has possibility if I won the tournament and Dustin that helped refocus your mind on your [Johnson] finished 45th or worse. And I was overall game? like, ‘Wow, I’m getting close’. Well, of course, there were a few Once it’s on the radar it becomes a goal. unknowns to begin with, and there’s But obviously you only get to No.1 by always a settling in period when you playing consistently good golf, and that’s A LOT OF make these kinds of changes. But I believe always been my goal – to try to get the PEOPLE WERE that I’ve made some good decisions, and best out of my game week-in week-out. QUESTIONING MY some good changes, and I feel confident But once it presented itself it became a big DECISIONS, about things. So equipment-wise I’m in a goal and it’s been a fantastic milestone in SO IT WAS GOOD great spot, now it’s just about going out my career to have got there. But I feel like TO PUT AN END and playing and getting comfortable having got there now it’s about sort of TO ANY DOUBTS with it. letting it go a little bit, in the sense that I to THAT I'D need to focus on other goals now, and if I SUDDENLY LOSE IT How delighted were you to come out achieve those other goals then I’ll remain ALL for your first event of the year and win at the top. But I’m delighted I was able to at Torrey Pines? get there. Yeah, it was great to get that win under my How difficult has it been to belt as early as I did. A lot of people maintain that level of play? were questioning my decisions, so it Yeah, you have to keep looking forward. You have to was good to put an end to any doubts keep trying to improve. I can’t control whether I win a that I’d suddenly lose it all. I mean, listen, tournament or not, but you can control the variables at to outside observers I’d changed from your disposal. So when I look at my game, I‘m always playing probably one of the biggest looking at where I can I fill the gaps. There are statistics equipment brands in the sport to a you can use to locate your areas of weaknesses or you can fairly unheard of brand, certainly in just use gut feel about where can you get better. the western world, but I had a lot of I always put a lot of hard work in areas that I can get confidence in where I was going and better. Last year, I put in a lot of time on my putting. how I was going about it. That turned around and that really helped me play the I always knew Honma had a great clubconsistent golf that got me to No.1. making pedigree. They’ve made wonderful You also need to understand what’s working, clubs for half a century, and I always knew and then when things line up, and you have a little bit of they were going to be able to build me luck as well, those are the weeks that you typically win.
Obviously the majors are going to be a huge focus for you in 2019. How do you think that the new schedule with them coming in a four-month stretch from April will suit you, especially given your current form? I said to my caddie, Fooch, that I think I’m ready for a big year in 2019, and he looked at me, like, ‘Was 2018 not big enough?’. I was sort of half-serious. With all the changes that have been going on, I’ve definitely got a second wind, if you like, a renewed enthusiasm about my whole game. It’s freshened me up as well, and given me incentive to work harder, and really try and improve. All the changes that I have made have been around pushing myself to become an even better player, and looking for the sort of small ways in which I can do that. At 37, do you feel like you are just entering the prime of your career? Yeah, I really do. I feel fit. I feel strong. I’m hitting the ball really well. I have the benefit of many years of experience under my belt now, so, yes, it’s the best of both worlds. Now is a time for me to really go on and achieve what I hope are my dreams. There are times in your career where you can chalk it up to experience, and there are times in your career where you have to just go and do it. I’m definitely in the ‘do-it phase’ for sure. How much do you think what you went through in the very early part of your professional career – with all those well documented missed cuts – helped shape you into the player you are today? Very few careers, whether in sport or any other line of work, are simply a straight line to the top. There are going to be ebbs and flows, but if you track it over time, as long as there’s a progression going forward, as long as I’m improving, I’m going to get there eventually. Talent plus hard work has to equal something good in the end. Perseverance is I think one of the key words in all of sport. I don’t think you get to the top without perseverance. There’s no real secret. There’s no one piece of advice they can give, but you’ve got to be on your own journey. I would say, don’t compare yourself to other players at certain ages. For me, I think I had the talent, but I suppose but it’s taken me a long time to believe in it myself. It’s all very well for someone to tell you, oh, you should believe in yourself, but that has to come from within for it to be authentic and for it to mean something. My journey, such that it is, has taken awhile and there was a lot of scar tissue, too, from those 21 missed cuts, but it definitely added a few layers of skin that helped protect myself. My advice to young players is play at the lowest level you can, provided you’re still improving. I think that that, confidence-wise, you’re always just able to protect yourself and be able to move forward. But you know, if you do turn pro too soon, and if you have tough, tough experiences too soon, yeah, it’s hard to come back from.