Justin Rose was the story of the Masters on Day One as the Englishman shot to the top of the leaderboard following a stunning round.
Rose, 44, scored a majestic seven-under par 65, putting him three shots clear of Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Aberg and Corey Conners in joint-second.
The 44-year-old has an impressive track record at Augusta, with the former world No 1 having been a runner-up on two occasions, while he also has 14 top 25 finishes since debuting in 2003.
Rose won an Olympic gold medal in 2016 and his only major title came at the US Open in 2013. He is one of the most recognisable names in golf, and he looks back to his best after a tricky few years.
At the past three Masters, Rose has missed the cut twice, while he also missed the cut at the US Open and The Open in 2023.
However, he started to show signs of his old self last summer when he came second at The Open.
Justin Rose tops the Masters leaderboard after a stunning seven-under par on Day One
Rose is one of the most recognisable names in golf and he is well supported by his wife Kate
The couple met in 2000 and married six years later, while they have two children together
And Rose’s career renaissance has come partly thanks to an intervention from his wife Kate, a former gymnast.
Rose was known for having a close relationship with caddie Mark ‘Fooch’ Fulcher’, with Fooch present as Rose won Olympic gold nine years ago.
However, the pair developed a rift in 2019, which lasted for four years, until they reunited ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy.
Reflecting on their reunion, Fooch revealed the role Kate played, which has subsequently transformed Rose’s game.
‘”Does Fooch fancy coming back? The old boy’s a bit miserable,”‘ the caddie said of Kate’s call to his wife Adrienne.
‘And I think my wife was saying, “My old boy’s a bit miserable, he’s drinking too much wine and sitting on the couch,” so why not come back?
‘Mrs Rose gets what Mrs Rose asks for, and she’s amazing. She’s always been a huge backer of me.
‘We got to Wentworth and got to the house and it didn’t feel like those years had gone past at all.’
Kate is often seen supporting Rose on the course (pictured together at the 2018 Ryder Cup)
Rose (in 2008) endured a difficult spell, but an intervention from Kate changed his fortunes
Kate helped Rose end a four-year feud with caddie Mark Fulcher as the pair reunited in 2023
Since they reunited, Rose finished second at the Open and sixth in the PGA Championship, while he also impressed at the Ryder Cup in 2023 as Team Europe picked up a 16.5-11.5 victory.
The intervention from Kate, who is often spotted at golf events, was just the latest part of her role as a supportive partner, with Rose having previously hailed her impact on his career.
Speaking about his family after The Open last year, Rose said: ‘I would say life’s been harder for the last five, six years in terms of parenting and kids getting older.
‘They’re (my parents (sic)) less mobile. They can’t travel as much. There are more demands on us as a family. But they’re always proud of me. They’re very philosophical. They get it. They know it’s hard.
‘You want them to see you as a winner. They know that. As I get older, it would be cool to share that with them.’
Rose has previously labelled Kate his ‘boss’ and even gifted her a horse following his victory at the 2013 US Open.
However, she won’t be in Augusta this week, with the aforementioned issue about their parents and childcare responsibilities a potential explanation.
Rose has had a dramatic improvement since he started working with Fulcher again
Kate and Justin with their two children Leo (right, born in 2009) and Lottie (left, born in 2012)
Kate, 44, made her name as an international gymnast after graduating from the University of Sussex.
After retiring from the sport, she started working for IMG, a global sports, fashion, events and media company, where she met Rose.
They began dating in 2000 and tied the knot in 2006, holding a plush wedding at the five-star Manor House hotel in Wiltshire.
They have two children together: Leo, born in 2009, and Lottie, born in 2012. The family tend to split their time between the Albany Resort in the Bahamas and a riverside flat in Putney, an affluent district in southwest London after previously being based in Orlando, Florida.
Both Justin and Kate have regularly collaborated on projects, which includes the launch of The Rose Ladies Series in 2020.
This is a ladies professional golf tour that holds several events each year, with the 2025 campaign set to see five different tournaments take place over a two-week period in April and May.
They have similarly launched the Kate and Justin Rose Foundation, a philanthropic endeavor that aims to help children in need.
It focuses on giving underprivileged kids advice on nutrition, education and experience.
The couple have worked together on projects, including the Kate and Justin Rose Foundation
They similarly launched The Rose Ladies Series which is a ladies professional golf tour
Speaking about the foundation, Rose once said: ‘This program is very close to our hearts because Kate and I know Blessings in a Backpack fills a crucial void for children who might otherwise go hungry.
‘I can’t expect to play good golf if I’m not properly nourished so how can we expect kids to go a full weekend without enough to eat and then be able to focus on learning the next school week.’
Their work off the course saw the pair recently receive The Arnie Award, an accolade handed out by monthly magazine Golf Digest.
In giving the prize, the work the Kate and Justin Rose Foundation has done to improve the lives of children was highlighted.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Rose can keep up his stunning form over the next few days having been a long shot at 80/1 to win the tournament before play got underway on Thursday.
But, if Rose does manage to do so, he will have his partner to thank for helping to save his career with that phone call to Fooch’s wife in 2023.
