Justin Rose ‘choked back tears’ as he finished in a tie for second place in the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Rose, who had been hoping to end a 32-year wait for an English winner of golf’s oldest major, added he was “gutted” after his final-round four-under-par 67 left him two strokes behind his playing partner, Xander Schauffele.
The American winner, who posted a remarkable 65, had started the day level with Rose at three under. On a day of fluctuating fortunes, the two gradually made their way to the top of the leaderboard. Schauffele eased clear on the back nine thanks to a run of four birdies in six holes from the 11th. The 30-year-old finished nine under for the tournament. Only nine players broke par over the course of the week.
“Two emotions,” the 43-year-old Rose replied when asked to describe his feelings. “Gutted when I walked off the course. It hit me hard because I was so strong out there today. I kind of got off to the start I wanted. I really played the way I wanted to today.
“But, yeah, just at a critical moment midway through the back nine, just momentum-wise, obviously Xander got it going. I hit a couple of good putts that didn’t fall, and then that lead stretched.
“In terms of how I played and the execution of my emotions today, my mindset, I left it all out there. I’m super proud of how I competed.”
Closing out his weekend with a birdie was about “being a professional”, Rose said.
“Then I walk 10 steps later, and I’m choking back tears. So that’s the shift. Yeah, just personal, and enjoying 18 with the fans too. I just think it’s such an amazing stage.
“For me, like that’s the best look in golf, those two long grandstands that you walk down and the big yellow leaderboard. That’s what I associate as a magic moment.”
American Billy Horschel tied with Rose on seven-under, while little-known Englishman Dan Brown, who led the tournament after 53 holes, finished in a tie for 10th after a 74.
For Schauffele, it was his second major victory this season after winning the US PGA Championship in May. With Scottie Scheffler having won the Masters in April and Bryson DeChambeau pipping Rory McIlroy to last month’s US Open, it marks the first time American players have swept the majors since 1982.
Rose was magnanimous in defeat. “[Schauffele] is a great guy at the top of his game, a guy that has all the attributes that make him a great player and a great champion,” the Englishman said. “He’s obviously now learning that winning is easy. He has a lot of horsepower, in the sense of he’s good with a wedge, he’s great with a putter, he hits the ball a long way, obviously his iron play is strong. So he’s got a lot of weapons out there.
“Probably one of his most unappreciated ones is his mentality. He’s such a calm guy out there. I don’t know what he’s feeling, but he certainly makes it look very easy.”
Schauffele said he could not wait to drink out of the Claret Jug. “My dad’s here so I’ll let him do the honours of choosing [the drink],” he said.
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