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Justin Rose believes he still has the “horsepower” to win another major title, more than a decade after his US Open triumph.
Rose, who finished fourth as a 17-year-old amateur on his Open debut at Birkdale in 1998, was in danger of not making a 21st appearance in the year’s final major after narrowly missing out on a number of exemption categories.
However, the former Olympic champion made sure of his place in the field for Royal Troon by coming through a 36-hole final qualifier at Burnham & Berrow earlier this month and now has his sights set on contending for the Claret Jug.
“I’ve got a lot of work to do still, I feel like I do need to turn around my form and turn around my confidence with that,” the 2013 US Open champion said.
“But I’ve seen a lot of evidence in my practice this year that my game’s not a million miles away. You’ve obviously got to take it to the golf course but I know that the raw power, the horsepower and the game is lurking.”
Rose missed the cut in the Masters and US Open this year, but was buoyed by his tie for sixth place in the US PGA Championship at Valhalla.
“I like it when I get up there in contention,” he said. “The PGA was at a course that shouldn’t suit me all that well relative to the big hitters and young players but I felt like my game was right there.
“I was on the back nine on Sunday feeling the juices that were going and without really my best game either, to be honest.”
Rose admits he was surprised at not being exempt for the Open, but feels that having to come through qualifying will add another element to his experience of the week.
“I finished 33rd in the FedEx Cup, was around 50th in the world, but everything just kind of missed,” the 43-year-old said. “But it’s the way it is and going through qualifying there’s probably a bit more gratitude about being there for sure.
“You do take it for granted, you just plan your schedule and think things just slot in as year on year rolls on by, but as the years roll by there are certain elements that become trickier.
“I’ll definitely be there to play well and be focused but somewhat as well enjoying the experience.
“I can’t believe it’s 26 years since Birkdale. That’s a full career’s worth. It’s a lifetime almost. You get less for murder they say.
“It’s been a great journey and within that there’s been spells that feel like I can’t even relate to. They’re so long ago that I struggle to remember what life was like back then – it has been a long time.”
