AUGUSTA, Ga. — Justin Rose seemed bemused by the notion that he is a “huge part of the history, the story” of the Masters Tournament.
After all, his name is on the trophy three times — each time right below the name of that year’s champion.
“Yeah, I guess,” he said with a wry smile, drawing laughter during his press conference at Augusta National on Monday.
Now 45 and preparing for his 21st Masters, Rose has a very pragmatic approach to his three runner-ups here. That includes a pair of playoff losses, most recently to Rory McIlroy just last year.
“I’m very aware that I’ve been close here. I’m very aware that I’ve had tough, tough losses here,” he said. “I also am aware that I enjoy this place. So I don’t want to feel that those three second-place finishes need to create a different sort of feeling for me.”
Rose also doesn’t buy into the theory that he has a significant advantage over most in the 91-player field because of his experience around Augusta. He said there are subtle changes to the course every year, and that what he thinks he knows can change on any given hole.
And that’s before the execution element of golf is even factored in.
“You can know everything in the world, but when it comes to execution, if you’re not playing well, it doesn’t matter how well you know anything,” Rose said. “It’s an execution-based business, and the golf course doesn’t know what I know. Basically, I’ve got to put a swing on a ball or make a good read in the moment or put it on the right speed and do all the things you have to do week in and week out to play well.
Rose is a major champion. He has also won an Olympic gold medal, multiple Ryder Cups and earlier this year set the tournament scoring record en route to winning the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Still, many continue to ask about Rose’s five runner-ups in majors in contrast to his lone triumph at the U.S. Open 13 years ago.
“You can’t skip through a career without a little bit of heartache and heartbreak, no chance,” he said. “If you’re going to be willing to win them, you’ve got to be willing to kind of be on the wrong side of it as well.
“The key is showing up. The key is to try to be as free as you can in those moments. It could have been my day in a couple of major championships that I wouldn’t have had to have done anything different really to be the winner as well.
“Hopefully with that mind set, keep chipping away, my day might still happen where a little bit of something goes my way.”
The win at Torrey Pines launched Rose to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking (his career-best No. 1 ranking came in 2018). He has missed two of his four cuts since, falling to No. 9 entering this week. But Rose said his T13 in his most recent event at The Players Championship was a sign that his game is in good form.
Rather than playing the Valero Texas Open as he did in 2025, Rose traveled to Augusta to get in a pair of practice rounds last week. He’s aware that many consider him one of the pre-tournament favorites given his experience and previous close calls, and that eight Masters runner-ups have gone on to claim the green jacket the following year.
“I’ve got to kind of be aware of that, be ready for that, and I’ve got to have my own narrative and not kind of buy into everyone else’s narrative,” he said. “I can only turn up on Thursday and execute. That’s all I can do. And get here on Monday and enjoy it.
“Those are the two things that I have control over.”
–Derek Harper, Field Level Media
