Back in early 2023, LIV Golf was still firmly in the process of establishing its roster, with speculation over the futures of many of the world’s best players and whether they would be tempted to sign for the big-money circuit.
Justin Rose was one of the high-profile names suggested as a possible candidate, and immediately after he won his first PGA Tour event in four years at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he admitted it had been something he had looked at, albeit tentatively.
He explained: “There's been moments where I leaned into it a little more closely and moments where - but when push comes to shove there was never a moment where you're like, ‘Okay, well there's a pathway to achieve this, this, and this. So never really further than that.’”
But why did the 2013 US Open winner ultimately opt against pursuing a switch to LIV Golf?
The answer at least partially lies in the field for the 2025 Masters. Among the 95-player line-up for the Major are just 12 LIV Golfers, six fewer than two years ago. That’s largely down to LIV’s ineligibility for world ranking points, meaning that, slowly but surely, many of its players are finding it increasingly difficult to qualify for the Majors.
In 2023, Rose saw that situation coming, and he admitted that the chance to play in the tournaments was what persuaded him against taking a closer look at the LIV Golf opportunity.
“Access to the Major championships is a large part of my decision to be playing where I'm playing, for sure," he said. "Obviously playing in events like this that have a great history, that give access to iconic golf course, all of those things. Winning events that really matter.
“Yeah, but first and foremost playing in Major championship golf. It's something - I have won one, but that's where my childhood dreams lay. Having access to that was really, really important to me going forward.”
After the first round at Augusta National, he won’t have regretted his decision as he was firmly back in the Major hunt after a stunning 65 to lead The Masters by three.
Regardless of what happens over the remainder of the tournament, it’s the latest indication that the 44-year-old still has what it takes to claim more Major honors.
Last year, he finished T6 in the PGA Championship at Valhalla and followed that up with an even better performance at The Open, when he finished T2 behind Xander Schauffele. If his first round at The Masters is anything to go by, it seems he is enjoying competing in Majors as much as at any time in his career.
