2 Justin RoseProfile 20087 LATEST ON THE OPEN R o s e - t i n t e d s p e c t a c l e

Woodswoe ByFrank Malley game wascertainlyriddled with Justin visits inconsistencyin thoseearly mayinspire WHEN Justin Rosearrivesat years,therehasalways been the RoyalBirkdale forthe 2008Open promiseofthe extraordinary. ’absence Championship,hismemory will memory lane WithWoodsabsent,hisMajor could leadtothe most travel back10years in time tothe breakthrough could come this exciting Open in years, momenthe will cherishforever. dignified wayhe coped withthe yearatthe coursewhichhasso according tothe R&A’s Picturethe scene –40yards deathfrom cancerof hisfather muchgood karmaforRose,who chief. from the finalgreen,atrickylie and mentor.And the wayin married long-time girlfriend Woodswithdrewfrom in the rough,afearsome bunker whichhehasalways trusted his KatePhillips,aformerBritish the RoyalBirkdale event between him and the flag. naturaltalent,whichinevitably internationalgymnast,in 2006. GOLDEN afterbooking himself in Whatatime fora17-year-old sawthe success flowoncehehad Theyhaveahome in Florida MOMENT: forknee surgery,and will withaname whichisaheadline secured hisfirst professional and ariverside flatin Putney, beout of competitivegolf writer’sdreamtoproducea title,the Dunhill Championship and the positives,personaland celebrates forthe remainderof the perfectpitch,one whichlanded in SouthAfrica, the country of professional,havebeen building. hisfamous season. softly,skipped forwardand hisbirth,in 2002. Hewon the AustralianMasters chip atthe R&A chief executive rolled crisplyintothe hole fora Hefollowed thatupwiththree in 2006 and the EuropeanTour 18thin1998 PeterDawson said: birdie three whichbroughtwhat furthervictoriesthat Orderof Merittitle for2007 in a “Tigerwould bethe first seemed likehalf of north-west yearand,while his thrilling climaxtothe season at toagree thatThe Open is totheirfeet. the VolvoMasters,whichhe ranking moved uptoacareer- biggerthananyone Thatshotsecured fourthplace won in aplay-off. Hisworld high sixthand he hasbegunto player,and I’m surewe forRose,the best performanceby knockatthe doorin Majors. canlook forwardto anamateur in The Open since Heled the US Masters afterthe anothermemorable week Frank Stranahantied forsecond first round in 2007,recording a atBirkdale.” atCarnoustie in 1953. top-fivefinish,although this Itlefthim just one behind spring he did slump from a TigerWoodsand queuing up first-round 68torecord78,73 Boardsare behind winnerMarkO’Mearain and 76 tofinish36th. the mediatenttotell the story of The criticismisthathe has anextraordinary adventure flattered todeceivetoo often arealscore whichincluded asecond-round and hismissed cut in the US 66,and whichwastosee him Open wasnothisfinest moment. OPEN organisers have turnprofessionalaweek later. But thissummerthe signsare decided against ahi-tech Manypredicted thathe was thatdestinyiscalling. Hisgreat revolution,byordering a destined forgreatthings.Others ambition torepresentEurope in newbatchoftraditional warned the professionalgame the RyderCupthisSeptember mechanicalyellow wastougherthanfour days in looksall but certain. leaderboards. fantasy land on alinkscourse HowwonderfulforEuropean The R&A decided whichperfectlysuited hisgame. if he could flytoKentucky against the introduction But 10years laterno-one could totake on the Americanswith of electronicboards denyRosehasbeen acreditto the Old ClaretJuginhisbag. afterapoll of golf himself and aninspiration toa Withthatin mind,Rose spectators saw98 per generation of Britishgolfers. returned toRoyalBirkdale in centbacking the current Forastart,therewasthe way Mayforthe first time sincethose models,whichdateback he persevered when itappeared daring deedsof 1998 toengage in tothe 70s. the doom-mongers mightbe aspotof nostalgia, but alsoto Aspokesmansaid: right.The wayhe smiled through plotaroutetovictory. “The fanshavesaid what 21consecutivemissed cuts on the Hesaid:“Iwanted togoback theyloveisthe senseof toughest of learning curvesfora and relivethe memories.Igained anticipation when the young professional. alotof information aswell,and leaderboardchanges– The wayhe waswilling to Iwascertainlyhaving agood youcanmiss thatwith recognisehisshortcomings,and look around. Itwasfun.” electronicdevices.” put them rightunderthe Ten years on,itcould betime umbrellaof golf guruDavid forRosetogetserious and win Simon aims Leadbetter.The courageous and thatfirst Major. HIGHS AND LOWS,WINNERS AND LOSERS: YOUR GUIDE TO THROUGH THE YEARS toconquer OLDEST CHAMPION LOWEST TOTAL BY RUNNER-UP OLDEST COMPETITOR LOWEST FINAL 36 HOLES BIGGEST 54-HOLE LEAD LOST 46Old Tom Morris 269JackNicklaus (Turnberry1977) 74Gene Sarazen (1976) 130 (Turnberry1977) 5Macdonald Smith1925 SIMON WAKEFIELD (Prestwick1867) 269NickFaldo (Sandwich1993) 130 IanBaker-Finch(Birkdale 1991) 5JeanVandeVelde 1999 returnstoanOpen at 269JesperParnevik (Turnberry1994) YOUNGEST COMPETITOR 130 Anders Forsbrand (Turnberry1994) Birkdale forthe first YOUNGEST CHAMPION 14 (1865) BEST COMEBACK TO WIN 17Young Tom Morris MOST TOP FIVE FINISHES 11 HarryVardon 1896(after18 holes) time since1991 –but (Prestwick1868) 16JH Taylor,JackNicklaus MOST WINS BY AMATEUR LOWEST FIRST 54 HOLES 13George Duncan1920 (after36) hopefullyhe will beabit 3BobbyJones(1926-27-30) 198 (Lytham1996) 10PaulLawrie 1999 (after54 holes) morefocussed on this MOST WINS MOST SUB-PARROUNDS occasion. 6HarryVardon 61JackNicklaus LOWEST FOUR-ROUND LOWEST FINAL 54 HOLES CHAMPIONS WITH FOUR The Englishmanwasa (1896-98-99-1903-11-14) TOTAL BY AMATEUR 199 NickPrice(Turnberry1994) SUB-70 ROUNDS MOST CONSECUTIVE SUB-70 ROUNDS 281 Iain Pyman(Sandwich1993) Greg NormanSandwich1993 youngsterwhen he saw MOST SUCCESSIVE WINS 7Ernie Els(1993-94) 281 TigerWoods(Lytham1996) LOWEST NINE HOLES (66-68-69-64) IanBaker-Finchclinch 4Young Tom Morris(1868-72) 28DenisDurnian(Birkdale 1983) NickPriceTurnberry1994 the ClaretJug,but was DEBUT CHAMPIONS LOWEST AMATEUR ROUND (69-66-67-66) nottoo concerned about LOWEST TOTAL Willie Park(Prestwick1860) 66 Frank Stranahan(Troon 1950) BIGGEST SPAN BETWEEN WINS TigerWoodsStAndrews 2000 events on the fairways. 267 (StAndrews 1873) 66 TigerWoods(Lytham1996) 11 years – (1937-48) (67-66-67-69) (66-68-69-64,Sandwich1993) (Musselburgh 1874) 66 Justin Rose(Birkdale 1998) Hesaid:“Mydadtook ( 1892) BIGGEST SPAN BETWEEN NON-CHAMPIONS WITH me,but Iwastoo busy LOWEST SUB-PARTOTAL JockHutchison (StAndrews 1921) LOWEST FIRST ROUND FIRST AND LAST WINS FOUR SUB-70 ROUNDS climbing conkertreesto -19 TigerWoods(StAndrews 2000) DensmoreShute(StAndrews 1933) 64Craig Stadler(Birkdale 1983) 19 years –JH Taylor(1894-1913) Ernie ElsSandwich1993 worryabout the golf.” ( 1953) 64Christy O’ConnorJnr(Sandwich1985) (68-69-69-68) BIGGEST WIN TonyLema(StAndrews 1964) 64RodgerDavis(Muirfield 1987) MOST SUB-70 ROUNDS JesperParnevik Turnberry1994 13Old Tom Morris(Prestwick1862) Tom Watson (Carnoustie 1975) 64Raymond Floyd(Muirfield 1992) 37 NickFaldo (68-66-68-67) (Sandwich2003) 64StevePate(Muirfield 1992) Ernie ElsTroon 2004 Vets return LOWEST ROUND OUTRIGHT LEADER (69-69-68-68) 63 MarkHayes(Turnberry1977) OLD LOWEST SECOND ROUND AFTER EVERYROUND VETERAN Americans 63 IsaoAoki (Muirfield 1980) 63 MarkHayes(Turnberry1977) Ted Ray1912,BobbyJones1927,Gene BEST LAST ROUND TO WIN MarkO’Mearaand Tom 63 Greg Norman(Turnberry1986) STAGER: 63 Greg Norman(Turnberry1986) Sarazen 1932,Henry Cotton 1934,Tom 64Greg Norman(Sandwich1993) Watson havebothsigned 63 PaulBroadhurst (StAndrews 1990) Gary 63 NickFaldo (Sandwich1993) Weiskopf 1973,TigerWoods2005 63 Jodie Mudd (Birkdale 1991) Player MOST APPEARANCES upforemotionalreturns 63 NickFaldo (Sandwich1993) LOWEST THIRD ROUND BIGGEST 18-HOLE LEAD 46Gary Player toBirkdale. has 63 (Sandwich1993) played in 63 IsaoAoki (Muirfield 1980) 4JamesBraid 1908,BobbyJones O’Mearawon The Open 63 PaulBroadhurst (StAndrews ’90) 1927,Henry Cotton 1934,Christy MOST APPEARANCES BEFORE WIN in 1998 –the last time the CHAMPIONS IN THREE DECADES 46Opens O’ConnorJnr1985 16NickPrice championship was HarryVardon 1896,1903,1911 LOWEST FOURTH ROUND JH Taylor1894,1900,1913 63 Jodie Mudd (Birkdale 1991) BIGGEST 36-HOLE LEAD MOST APPEARANCES played atthe Southport Gary Player1959,1968,1974 63 Payne Stewart (Sandwich1993) 9Henry Cotton 1934 WITHOUT AVICTORY course–while Watson 29DaiRees won the last of hisfive MOST TIMES RUNNER-UP LOWEST FIRST 36 HOLES BIGGEST 54-HOLE LEAD Open titlesatBirkdale 7JackNicklaus 130 NickFaldo (Muirfield 1992) 10Henry Cotton 1934 LONGEST COURSE in 1983. (1964-67-68-72-76-77-79) 7,421yardsCarnoustie 2007 BePGA PROactive. Forcoaching,adviceand equipmentgiveyour PGA PRO ago. Visit: www.pga.info