Palm Harbor, Florida ….
Justin Rose may have struggled with his long game but it was the heavily pollen polluted air that was proving to be the biggest discomfort on day one of the Valspar Championship at Palm Harbor north of Tampa in Florida.
Rose was not alone in struggling in the bright and windy conditions but with the pollen very much affecting players, caddies, official and Innisbrook Resort fans alike.
England’s top-ranked golfer wore sunglasses throughout out his round to try and combat the pollen but was still seen often sneezing and blowing his nose on route to a one-under par 70 on the Copperhead course.
Justin Rose sporting sun glasses to help combat the heavilly pollen polluted air at the Valspar Championship. (Photo – @tourmiss)
“My nose is like a tap in these conditions and it’s really affecting me (and then stopping to sneeze), so this has been the story of my day,” he said.
“It was nice to finish with a birdie as I struggled with off the tee and my irons were not all that well, so to get it around this golf course in under par and given the way I am trying to cope with the pollen, is pleasing.”
Rose along with fellow Englishman Luke Donald, who won the Valspar in a play-off in 2012 over now USA Ryder Cup captain, Jim Furyk, were in the clubhouse sharing eighth place.
Little-known Canadian Corey Conners enjoyed the clubhouse lead with a four-under par 67.
Rory McIlroy, who played alongside Rose, struggled with the driver in posting just one birdie in a three-over par 74 and his first appearance in the $6.5m event.
The one bright note for McIlroy, and in a round of just one birdie but also two bogeys and a double-bogey, was recording just 26 putts including one-putting four holes in succession early in his round.
Unlike McIlroy, Rose is no stranger to the west coast Florida course and making his 10th appearance since a first in 2004 and with a best finish of T5th in 2011 behind American Gary Woodland who is the third member of the group for this year’s opening two days.
Rose, and contesting only his fifth event of the 2017/18 PGA Tour wraparound schedule, is coming off a final round 67 last Sunday to secure a share of 37th in the WGC – Mexico Championship.
He will contest two further events before returning to Augusta National and where he went so close to being fitted a year ago with the famed members green jacket.
And with the season’s first Major now just a month away Rose is ‘pretty happy’ with his game ahead of taking the drive down Magnolia Lane in what will be a hopefully lucky 13th Masters appearance.
“In general, I am pretty happy where I am at with my game and sometimes it is good not to be completely on song and while everyone has Augusta in mind right now,” he said.
“So, part of me is thinking that if you are firing on all cylinders right now it is still a long way before we get to the Masters.”
Justin Rose sporting a black ribbon on his cap in memory of popular European Tour caddy Malcolm Mason who passed away recently. (Photo – @tourmiss)
And Rose this week is paying tribute to former Bolton-born caddy, Mason Mason who passed away recently by wearing a black ribbon on his cap.
Mason caddied for a number of European Tour legends including Sam Torrance, Carl Mason, Mark Roe, Ernie Els and also in the early stages of Danny Willett’s career.
“Malcolm was a great fellow, a very good caddy and great friend to me and the ribbon on my cap is the least I could do to honour his memory,” said Rose.
