Justin Rose admitted he was holding back tears after Xander Schauffele beat the Englishman in the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon. Schauffele’s Sunday 65 saw him beat Rose and Billy Horschel by two strokes to win the Claret Jug.
A Rose victory would have been the most popular of all. The 2013 US Open champion reached the final qualifier in Somerset to make the Troon field. The 43-year-old praised Schauffele for his excellent performance but admitted that the shortfall affected him.
Contemplating the final green, where he stood with his arms raised after making birdie, Rose said, “I won second place, I won points, I won trophies, FedEx Cup points, all that stuff. At that point, you act like a professional.
“Then I walk 10 steps and I swallow my tears. So that’s the shift. I enjoyed 18 with the fans too. I just think it’s such an amazing stage. For me, that’s the best look in golf, those two long stands that you walk across and the big yellow scoreboard. That’s what I associate with a magic moment.
“There are two emotions: I was devastated when I walked off the court and it hit me hard because I was so strong today. I started the way I wanted to. I really played the way I wanted to today. I started on the front foot. I played early in the tournament. I felt comfortable with it all day.
“Today I did a lot of the tough things on the golf course really well. Just a critical moment halfway through the back nine in terms of momentum. Xander obviously had it together. I hit a couple of really good putts that didn’t fall and then that lead just got bigger.
“In terms of how I played and the execution of my emotions today, my mindset, I gave it my all. I’m super proud of how I fought.”
Rose has gained the belief that he can win another major. He finished tied for sixth at the U.S. PGA Championship in May. “The deal I made with myself today was to come out of it with no regrets. I’ll get a couple more chances, but you know this is a great opportunity. You want to walk out of the golf course and say, ‘Yeah, I didn’t blow that.’
“I ran putts on the hole today. I feel like I had chances. I feel like I took a lot of them. But I felt super comfortable there, and the fact that I haven’t really been in contention this year gives me a lot of courage.
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“Two major championships this year, the strongest fields in golf, they were my two best weeks. I’m very confident. What I work hard for is to have these big moments in my career. I’m looking for those big podium moments and today was almost there. It was a lot of fun.”
Schauffele, who won the US PGA in Valhalla, has won two of the last three majors. “I feel very honored,” he said. “Hearing your name called with ‘Open champion’ after it is something I have dreamed of for a long time.”
He revealed that he had spent the last few days watching highlights of Henrik Stenson’s epic fight against Phil Mickelson at the same location in 2016. “It was to motivate me,” Schauffele said. “I think it worked out pretty well.”