Rose draws inspiration from past Masters near-misses

Justin Rose is looking to capitalize on his past experiences at Augusta National, where he has come close to winning on multiple occasions. Despite his near-misses, Rose remains optimistic, believing that his past performances have prepared him for a major victory. The former world No 1 has already secured a win on the PGA Tour this season at the Farmers Insurance Open and boasts an impressive record at The Masters. Last year's play-off loss to Rory McIlroy marked his third runner-up finish at the event, with previous near-misses including a narrow defeat to Sergio Garcia in 2017. Rose has registered 10 top-10 finishes in majors since his disappointment in 2017, including a runner-up finish to Xander Schauffele at The Open in 2024. He believes that these near-misses will only boost his confidence, saying, "I hope it only boosts my belief that I can go ahead and do it. I feel like I've pretty much done what it takes to win. I just haven't walked over the line." Rose is determined to make the most of his opportunities, acknowledging that Augusta National "does not owe him anything." He added, "I come here with a good attitude. I come here with it being a place that I enjoy." Last year, Rose took an early lead but ultimately fell short. He reflected on the experience, saying, "When you realise you're that close, you can taste the victory. You know what it would feel like had it been the other way around." Rose is now focused on the upcoming Masters, where a win would make him the second-oldest champion in history. Despite turning 46 in July, Rose is not letting his age deter him, saying, "I don't think about it on a day-to-day level. Happy that the narrative around it is more positive than negative, for the most part." With his sights set on victory, Rose is motivated to continue improving his game, saying, "Still feel like there's areas of my game that I can improve on significantly and easily without age being a factor to those areas of my game. Still enjoying the work really, I think, and that's the most important thing. When you enjoy it, you don't feel your age."