This is Justin Rose’s second visit to India. The first was a good 22 years ago, when the English golfer played a skins game at DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon. “That was back in the day before DLF became the DLF of now,” Rose said.
Rose’s own journey over the last decades has seen tremendous highs. A 13-time winner on the PGA Tour, Rose hit the peak in 2013 when he won the U.S. Open, his first and only Major title. In September 2018, Rose rose to the World No. 1 spot, becoming only the fourth English golfer to reach those great heights after Nick Faldo, Lee Westwood, and Luke Donald.
At 46, Rose has lost none of his competitive spirit. Now ranked 18th on the Official World Golf Ranking list, Rose has had a good year, winning the Farmers Insurance Open in February with a tournament-record score of 23-under par.
In April, Rose led the Masters by two shots in the final round, but back-to-back bogeys saw him finish tied for third. Now in New Delhi to compete in the DP World India Championship, Rose is keen to add to his trophy cabinet. A self-confessed fan of Indian food, Rose plans to enjoy a tasty Tandoori meal along the way.
The South Africa-born Englishman spoke on a range of topics at a press conference in Delhi Golf Club. Excerpts:
How important is it for an event like this to come to India, where there is so much interest in golf?
It is fantastic to be playing golf in this region. It’s a country that is exploding in many, many ways, and I think that there is a commitment to golf here, with great sponsors and backers. This is an important time for golf to grow all around the world. What a field they have assembled here. Hopefully, that creates the interest that will help golf grow in this area.
You wanted to spend your 40th birthday in India, but it did not work out because of the COVID-19 restrictions. Tell us about your connection with India.
I have accumulated some Indian friends through the years. From what I’ve noticed, Indians are very proud of their country. Anybody who has any sort of influence here in India really wants to share it and show you the magic of India. I live in England, so of course I love Indian food. I’m not sure how authentic we make it in the U.K., but the national dish is chicken tikka masala. It is the most ordered dish in England. I am a big fan of Indian food.
What are your views on the course?
I can’t tell you too much because I haven’t been on the golf course yet. But I’ve spoken to my friend, Tommy Fleetwood, and guys who were here last year. It’s a very unique golf course — very traditional and very old-school. There is no real need for distance off the tee. The driver stays in the bag. The DGC is a 250-yard, good second-shot type of golf course. Long and mid irons will be the most important part this week. Getting on the fairways and greens will be a huge premium.
What keeps the fire burning after so many years of competing at this top level?
That’s a great question. Yes, I have been able to build a nice resume, but I’ve only achieved those high levels once. I would love to push myself to try to win another major championship. But it’s more than that. I want to play golf now for the memories. In order to build the memory bank, you have to keep putting yourself in the biggest situations in golf, whether that be down the stretch in Majors or on the first tee of Ryder Cups… I’m playing for those big moments.
The kids on the tour these days are so good. The strength and depth is so strong that I feel it’s taking more discipline for me to stay relevant and continue to push myself to be a better player. That is really the goal. Can I be better next year? I’m 47 next year. That shouldn’t be possible, but I think it is possible. It is a personal battle, I suppose.
You came so close to winning the Masters this year but finished third. How do you recover and get back on the horse again?
This year, I turned up at Augusta with a sense that people were rooting for me because I have come so close to winning in the past. You can sense the sort of frustration of the crowd that you haven’t been able to win, but you can’t let that become part of your own story. I can only control my own performance and how I break down the golf course.
I’ve been incredibly close. I’ve had three runner-up finishes at the Masters. This year felt like a second-place finish, although it was a third. I feel like I played well enough to win the tournament, so my mindset would be to do nothing different.
The modern game has become increasingly driven by power and athleticism. How do you evolve as a player without losing the qualities that made you successful?
That’s a really great question. I guess that’s my job, especially this off-season. I have to try and figure out if there are some gains to be had, if I can push myself physically, and if there are some power and distance gains to be made. I also have to be realistic that pushing too hard at my age in certain areas comes with risks.
What has made me a great player through the years is being able to work my way around tough golf courses, plan my strategy, and, obviously, handle the mental side.
These are the things that I need to continue to do to stay strong. I am capable of driving the ball well enough to be incredibly competitive. My short game needs a little bit of work, but I know I have it in me. My putting has shown an uptrend in the last five or six years. If I can just piece it all together, I don’t need to do much differently.
But yes, the game has shifted, no doubt. You see many college players coming out on tour now with 180-mile-an-hour ball speed. When I first arrived on tour, John Daly was the only one with 180-mile-an-hour ball speed. He was the outlier. Now it’s the average. I fit somewhere below that average, but not by much. I need to compete by being consistent in everything.
You went on a Ryder Cup scouting trip. Talk to us about the process.
It was the first opportunity for (Team Europe captain) Luke Donald to get the group together. It was an important trip for players who haven’t played the Ryder Cup before. It was good for rookies to be around the team and feel the energy of a Ryder Cup.
Luke talked a little bit about how he envisions the strategy and the plan for the next year or so. It was more of a boys’ trip — casual golf, a nice dinner, and a little bit of discussion. It wasn’t very intense.
You are a cricket fan. You played many pro-ams with Brian Lara. Will you use this week to play some cricket and meet a few cricketers?
I hope the energy of cricket comes through here in India. I know (former England cricketer) Kevin Pietersen quite well. We live in the same area back in England. I know he’s also a big name and brand over here. I think he’ll be around the golf tournament this week. If we can have some fun along the way, that will be great.
Perhaps you can get some batting practice…
Yes, sure, I can do some batting and maybe bowl my famous googly too (laughs).
