Justin Rose claims he doesn't feel any additional pressure to make up for last year's playoff loss at The Masters, as he makes a strong push for the title at Augusta National. A year after narrowly losing to Rory McIlroy in a playoff, Rose is once again in contention for a major victory, thanks to opening rounds of 70 and 69. He believes his past near-misses have taught him a valuable lesson, saying, 'It's a lesson that I can win here.' Rose expressed his satisfaction with being in contention, stating, 'It's a continuation of being on the leaderboard here, keeping the dream alive, and continuing to enjoy this great tournament.' He also emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive mindset, saying, 'I feel no added pressure or expectation because of what happened last year. I just always enjoy competing here.' Rose recovered from a difficult start to post four birdies in a five-hole stretch, eventually finishing five under par.
He reflected on his game plan, saying, 'I thought I actually executed the game plan pretty well today.' Fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton also made a significant move up the leaderboard with a six-under 66, despite a bogey on the final hole. Hatton acknowledged the challenges of the course, saying, 'Making seven birdies out there is not an easy thing to do.' World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, on the other hand, struggled with a two-over 74, bogeying both par-fives on the second nine.
Scheffler expressed his disappointment, saying, 'I felt like I was really challenging. I played really pretty well.
Today I felt like I played a lot better than my score.'