Reigning US Open champion posted his lowest score all season on day two of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and then hinted he is considering adding this year’s Scottish Open to his schedule.
Rose grabbed seven birdies, and all over his closing 11 holes, in a round of 67 in heat wave conditions on the TPC Avondale course.
Justin Rose is the center of local New Orleans TV attention after his lowest round all season on day two of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
The effort moved the World No. 11, and highest ranked player contesting the $US 6.8m event, to six under par but with American Ben Martin taking a huge bite out of the alligator infested course in adding a 67 to his opening course record score of 62.
Rose is returning to golf for a first time since his disappointment in sharing 14th place in the Masters and spoiling any hopes of a first British success at Augusta since Nick Faldo in 1996 with an opening 76 and a closing 74.
So much so Rose is now considering next year competing in Texas in the week prior the Masters and also given his poor performance in recent years in The Open by entering this year’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
He said: “I got it going today to be six under for my last 11 holes and it was nice to put together a good run but then I need to go out tomorrow and do the same.
“But looking back on Augusta, I played well in the middle and as good as anybody in the field but just had poor first and final scores.
“So while I can take a lot out of that, at the same time taking two weeks off prior to Augusta next year is something I will change next year.
“It means I might play the Houston Open the week before the Masters and the same given my poor Open Championship in recent years I am thinking of also playing the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen in the week before we go to Hoylake.
“I remember playing Royal Aberdeen a long time ago in like a GB & I versus Europe match, and I played Sergio (Garcia) in the Singles, and if my memory serves me right we halved.
“I played Castle Stuart a few years ago but my form hasn’t been great in the Open Championship the last four to five years so I am looking to remedy that.
“And what Phil (Mickelson) did last year was fantastic and that would be the perfect prep”.
