TPC Boston, MA ….

England’s Justin Rose has set himself the target of  FedEx Cup victory glory after muscling his way to a one-stroke lead on day one of the Dell Technologies Championship near Boston.

Rose brilliantly bounced back from missing the cut in last week’s opening event of the ‘Play-Off’ series in shooting a bogey-free display of a six-under par 65 on the TPC Boston course.

The current World No. 4 ended his round clear of fellow Brit Russell Knox and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer and with the duo signing for five-under par 66s.

Rose’s score is his lowest PGA Tour first round in some 19-months after signing for a 65 early in 2017 at the Farmers Insurance Open and with the Bahamas-based Englishman birding three of his closing four holes just to the south of Boston.

“I was very aware that the course was playing trickier than usual so I arrived at the course well before my tee time and just hit some chips and putts, trying to get a feel for the golf course, feel for the greens,” he said.

“I noticed that it was playing tricky out there, for sure.  I looked at the pins last night, and I thought there was an opportunity to make some birdies.

“I felt clearly it was trickier than I thought last night.  It was windier today, a cool breeze, just enough to swirl around and make it tricky.  I think that’s what the guys were having a tough time with.

“And I was able to go bogey-free today, which I think no one else managed to do.  I guess just keeping the card clean made the birdies really count for something.”

Justin Rose delighted to post a bogey-free 65 on day one of the Dell Technologies. (Photo @tourmiss)

Rose had sat out the weekend rounds of the Northern Trust with scores of 72 and 74, and in also what was the first time he’s missed a cut in 15 Tour events this year.

“In some ways that missed cut helped me from that point of view, changed the mindset a little bit and obviously offered me a chance to go home for six days,” Rose added.

“I only arrived here back in Boston last night.  I managed to pretty much have a full week off, which hopefully will pay off, if it’s not this week, next week or the week after.”

Rose arrived in Boston lying sixth on the FedEx Cup standings and is already projected to move to No. 1 and that is the 38-year old’s goal to be crowned PGA Tour No. 1 after a career high of fifth in 2010 and 2015.

“I am trying to be selfish right now, and focus on these next three tournaments and winning the FedExCup,” he said.

“To win would be a huge moment in my career if that happens.”