11-08-2025
Rose anticipates 'golden summer' as Fleetwood scrambles for positives
JUSTIN ROSE SEES a 'golden summer' of his career ahead after becoming the oldest European golfer to win on the PGA Tour in the modern era.
The 45-year-old produced a sensational finish at the FedEx St Jude Championship with six birdies in his last eight holes to win a play-off against US Open champion JJ Spaun.
After finishing runner-up to Rory McIlroy in the Masters last April as well as behind Xander Schauffele in the 2024 Open, Rose has come close to a second major triumph.
After claiming his 12th US tour title, and his first since Pebble Beach in 2023, he feels well-positioned to add a major down the line.
'There's a lot of pride in that,' said the 2013 US Open champion.
'I'm not alone in it. There's been guys that have done it, but there's a pretty short list of guys that are competitive in that 45 to 50 age range. Historically, it was a bit of a waiting room for the Champions Tour.
'Phil (Mickelson) bucked the trend; he won a major at 51. That's good motivation. I still feel like there is that golden summer of my career available to me. That's what I've been pushing for.
'Moments like getting close at Troon and then getting close at Augusta, they're signals that it's possible. This is another really important signal that I'm on the right track with my game, and maybe even getting a little bit better at the moment.
'Will I ever be the best player that I was when I was 2018 No. 1 in the world? I don't know, but I don't have to be, I don't think, as long as I can find it at the key times.
'I've shown good signs, but winning is winning. Proving that to yourself, even though I've come close and I felt good in contention, getting over the line is still difficult. I've won, like, twice in six years now, but this one felt good.
'I felt like I had to hit the shots. I had to step up again and again in the play-off. I felt ready for it. I felt calm. I felt collected. That's when you learn most about yourself.
'I feel excited about where I'm at at 45 and I feel like there's a good bit of runway ahead.'
Advertisement
Rose felt ill earlier in the week and curtailed his practice rounds.
'It was a weird one. Monday night, I started to not feel 100%. Tuesday, I came out and did some practice, didn't actually get on the golf course.
'I didn't feel like playing nine holes was actually going to be helpful, so I just walked a couple of holes. I think we walked 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and by the time I did that, I was like, just get me to the car.
'I was hoping to sleep it off. I woke up Wednesday morning even worse. My resting heart rate was like 80, and it's normally mid 50s.
'I pulled out of the pro-am, unfortunately, on Wednesday, and was able to get a lot of rest in that day and sleep.
'By the time Thursday came around, I felt pretty reasonable.
'In hindsight, a couple less days in the heat, a couple less days on the golf course maybe helps give you that mental freshness come Sunday. That's definitely possible.
'I certainly wouldn't have projected myself to be sitting here right now when I was thinking Wednesday morning how the week was going.'
Rose looked out of it after a bogey at the 12th dropped him two off the pace with Tommy Fleetwood, world number one Scottie Scheffler, and Spaun ahead of him.
But four birdies from the 14th catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard, and he just missed a 13-footer at the last to win outright.
He produced two more birdies in three play-off holes – one a clutch effort after Spaun had holed from distance – with the second from 14ft after Spaun was half that distance away proving decisive as his opponent's attempt to extend the contest raced past.
CLUTCH.@JustinRose99 birdies the third playoff hole to win the first playoff event @FedExChamp.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 10, 2025
'That was an amazing last 90 minutes really. I never stopped believing,' Rose said.
'I played unbelievable golf coming down the stretch. I had so much fun with it.
'I hit a couple of good putts in regulation and in the first playoff hole as well. Obviously, JJ dropped a bomb on me, I topped him. It was a lot of fun.
'I've been saying for some time now, obviously Augusta, when I bring my best, I know I'm good enough to play and to compete, and to now win against the best players in the world. It's a very gratifying day for me and a lot of hard work coming to fruition.'
Rose's joy meant more heartbreak for Fleetwood, who blew another chance to break his PGA Tour duck at the 162nd attempt with a poor finish.
The Ryder Cup team-mates had holidayed together in Portugal last week, but failed to spark each other into life in the final group.
Fleetwood did not make a birdie until holing his longest putt of the week from 33 feet at the 12th to put him back in a share of the lead.
Birdies at the 13th and 15th edged him two in front on 16 under, but his weak attempt at a seven-foot par putt at the 17th never threatened and needing a birdie at the last just to make a play-off, he drove into a bunker and missed the green with his approach.
'I'm obviously going to be disappointed. I said last time, there's a lot of positives to take, as much as I won't feel like that right now,' he said.
'I'm just going to look at what I feel like I could have done and how close it was.'
Fleetwood added: 'All these experiences and these close calls, there's no point in making or allowing them to have a negative effect on what happens next. What would be the point?
'It was a great week. I did a ton of good stuff, and as disappointed as I am, I have to try to find the strength to make it all a positive experience and hopefully next time go again, put myself in that position again, and we just go again.'
- Additional reporting by PA.
