As another Open Championship comes sharply into focus, the sense of nostalgia around Justin Rose and Royal Birkdale is inescapable.
It was around these fabled links back in 1998 that Rose burst on to the scene as a 17-year-old amateur, famously holing out from 50 yards for a birdie on his final hole.
Rose would eventually finish in a tie for fourth place, confirming the precocious talent which had almost seen him qualify for The Open at St Andrews three years earlier whilst still only 14.
The fact that he then went on to miss 21 cuts on the bounce immediately after turning pro has been well-documented, and it could certainly have broken plenty of other players.
Back in ‘98, it looked certain that Rose would go on to rack up multiple major championships over the course of his career.
The fact that he has only one major to his name, the US Open at Merion in 2013, could easily be viewed as a source of regret, perhaps even hint at a talent unfulfilled.
Justin Rose insists he wouldn’t trade his career accomplishments for a fresh crack at the game
Yet, as he arrived back at Birkdale this week, Rose was in reflective mood and pointed to all of the many high points of his career.
Plainly, he has no regrets despite so many other near misses in majors, the most recent of which came in The Masters earlier this year.
‘It is a really good question,’ said Rose when asked if his career had panned out the way he envisaged it might as a teenager.
‘The only way to answer it is would I want to do it again and think I could do better? I think I’d probably pass. I’d probably say I’ll stick [with what I’ve achieved].
‘I’ve had a very good career. Now, 28 years later, I’m playing in another Open Championship. That’s still an amazing achievement, to still have that will to keep on wanting to be here.
‘Could I have done more? Could I have won more than what I’ve already won? Yes. Would I love to be a multiple major champion? Yes.
‘Do I feel I could have pushed towards a grand slam? Yes. I’ve had results that nearly put me in that realm. So a little bit of luck here and there, I could be sitting here with a very different career.
‘But, ultimately, I got to world No 1, I’m a major champion, Olympic gold medalist, FedEx Cup champion.
‘I’ve kind of achieved pretty much what there is to achieve in the game, albeit once only. But the highlights are great.
‘Would I have wanted more of it? Of course. Everyone’s greedy. But if I had to make a choice, there’s a lot of sideways and backwards moves available out here on tour.
‘Falling down a set of stairs, doing something stupid, whatever it might be, circumstance, life, there’s a lot of things that can get in your way over a 28-year career.
‘Hopefully I can use that freedom of being comfortable with where I’m at to elevate myself further still over the next few years to achieve those heights. By no means am I resting on my laurels.’
A 16-year-old Rose celebrates a remarkable hole-out at Birkdale back in 1998
Rose finished in a tie for third at The Masters earlier this year, the latest in a long line of near misses at Augusta National.
The 45-year-old insists he feels a resurgence despite now being at an age when winning majors becomes altogether more difficult.
His desire to lift the Claret Jug, in particular, burns as brightly as ever. Doing it at Birkdale would make it all the sweeter.
‘I certainly feel a little resurgence for sure,’ said the Ryder Cup legend. ‘I feel like I’m really enjoying the challenge of staying elite with my game.
‘I’m trying to see it as moments. Am I playing golf for the right moments? Am I creating memories? And are those memories worth the sacrifice?
‘Because, as I get older, I think it’s taking more out of me. I’m having to be more disciplined than I’ve ever been to stay at the level of golf I want to be at, and I’m enjoying that challenge.
‘Certainly at the moment, I feel inspired and I’m enjoying it. My work ethic and love of the game are still as strong as ever.
‘Sometimes the simplest way for me to measure that is can I go play golf by myself in the evening, carry my own clubs, lengthening shadows, and have a good time?
‘If the answer to that is yes, then I go: “Okay, well that’s a good start, now I can work hard. What are my goals? What do I still believe I can achieve?”
‘I’m always just pushing against myself. I’m always curious and I’m competitive. I still think “curious” and “competitive” are two good words to kind of keep me going.
‘I’m not really sure what I’m capable of achieving, but I’m competitive, so I’m going to give it a go.
Rose is looking forward to the unique challenges of The Open and believes he can still win
‘The Open Championship for a British player is the pinnacle of the game for sure. It’s the one that I would love to win the most, I think, for sure. Birkdale is a really special place to me.
‘To go through my career and not have a jug at the end of it? Yeah, I’ll always look back at it and go: “That’s a shame”.
‘But I think The Open Championship offers you the longest runway of an opportunity to win one. So there’s plenty of time left.’
Rose changed his clubs to the all-new McLaren irons shortly after The Masters earlier this year in a new partnership with the Formula One world champions.
There were some teething problems initially but he is confident that he now feels much more dialled-in, with the equipment being tailored exactly to his needs.
‘I am enjoying the process, enjoying the whole project,’ he added. ‘I’m excited about the future. I think we’re continually refining, and I’m very, very happy.
‘The set of irons that I’m using are a byproduct of all the things that I want to see in a set of golf clubs.
‘It’s really like my own little golf company right now, with the clubs being made exactly in terms of how I see golf. It’s been a lot of fun.’
