AUGUSTA, Ga. — Oh, how totally different one week could be.
Seven days in the past, throughout the first spherical of the Valero Texas Open, Justin Rose hit a cold-blooded shank on the 4th gap at TPC San Antonio, resulting in a double-bogey six and in the end a fair par spherical of 72.
He got here nowhere near doing such a factor on Thursday at Augusta Nationwide.
Rose turned in a masterful spherical, making eight birdies en path to a 7-under 65. His solely blemish on the scorecard got here on the par-4 18th after he drove it proper of the golf green and into the bushes. However apart from that wayward fireplace, Rose was dialed in all day.
“At present I chunked the golf course in my thoughts, little mini targets, mini targets. And that’s the way in which I approached the day, and that’s going to be the method tomorrow and the method on Saturday and the method on Sunday,” Rose defined.
“So actually attempt to be clear on the market. Actually attempt to verify I didn’t hit a shot till I used to be totally dedicated. These are the sort of issues that we are saying usually, and they’re fairly boring to listen to, shot-for-shot, however in the end there is no such thing as a different method of doing. It’s how good you might be doing that within the second, and all of it comes right down to execution. I do know my method round this golf course. I’ve a straight technique round right here. Yeah, it’s about making it rely and stepping up and hitting the photographs.”
Rose bought on the board early and sometimes.
He made three straight par-breakers proper out of the gate, making birdies on the first, 2nd, and third holes. On these well-known white leaderboards throughout Augusta Nationwide, patrons noticed Rose’s identify vault to the highest. It was barely even lunchtime earlier than his identify stood above the remainder. Everybody realized that Rose was able to contend as soon as once more.
“Clearly delighted to get off to such an excellent begin, and that begin undoubtedly, it occurred out of the gates. So for the primary few holes all the pieces was going precisely the place I used to be trying, and definitely the primary gap, which is certainly one of many trickier holes on the golf course, to knock in a pleasant 25-footer down the hill right-to-left, precisely what you want to settle your self into the Masters, after which 2 and three are birdie alternatives. So to be 3-under by means of 3 sort of actually bought me on the entrance foot and felt like I used to be taking part in nice golf,” Rose defined.
“I did discover myself in slightly little bit of hassle early. No. 5 holed an excellent putt for par, and center of the again 9, I felt like there have been a pair moments the place the momentum may change. However actually good up-and-downs on 14 and 15 to maintain the spherical actually scorching. Solely blemish on 18, however no level dwelling on that.
“It was a extremely good day’s golf on a golf course that was a stern take a look at. I feel when you take a look at the general leaderboard, not many low scores on the market. A number of high quality photographs, and delighted the way in which I performed.”
The Englishman has two up finishes at The Masters, as each got here inside a three-year span in 2015 and 2017. Within the first occasion, he misplaced to an unbeatable Jordan Spieth, who gained wire-to-wire. Then, Rose misplaced to Sergio Garcia in a playoff.
However the 2013 U.S. Open winner has 4 different top-10 finishes at Augusta in his profession. Higher than that, he has held the first-round lead or co-lead 5 occasions now, which is essentially the most all-time. But, that mark does include a blemish. Rose has led or co-led after eight rounds at The Masters, essentially the most of any participant and not using a win.
His most up-to-date time doing so got here in 2021, when he fired a 65 throughout the opening spherical to take management of the championship. Then Rose squandered the lead away, taking pictures 72-72-74 over the ultimate 54 holes to complete solo seventh.
“It is a nice alternative, although, for me, not strain,” Rose mentioned.
“I see all of it as upside now. I feel my résumé is properly rounded out. There’s a number of large obtrusive gaps. Clearly three main championships I haven’t gained. Perhaps a PLAYERS Championship as effectively. So there’s tons of alternative to do issues I haven’t accomplished earlier than, however the main headlines are sort of all in place for me. So I ought to use that as freedom to take these alternatives and use them to sort of freewheel and use all of it as upside, yeah.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.