Justin Rose feeling ‘tormented’ after losing Masters in playoff again

Justin Rose is focused on winning the RBC Heritage this week on Hilton Head Island, but he’d be lying if he said he’s entirely over what went down at Augusta National Golf Club last weekend. 

Rose was in contention for his first career green jacket at the Masters, and he hit a deep birdie putt on his 72nd hole of the tournament to finish 11-under and put pressure on Rory McIlroy. 

McIlroy missed his par putt on the 18th green to force a playoff, a position Rose had been in with Sergio Garcia in 2017. Unfortunately for Rose, the result was the same. 

Just as Garcia did, McIlroy defeated Rose on the playoff hole to complete his career Grand Slam by winning the 89th edition of the tournament. 

Rose spoke with reporters Wednesday at the RBC Heritage. 

“A lot of outpouring from people with a lot of positive comments coming at me, so trying to absorb that, trying to absorb the week,” Rose said. “But, at the same time, looking at my phone and just wishing there was a different message there.”

JUSTIN ROSE REACTS TO RESULTS OF LAST 2 MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: ‘IT DOES HURT’

When Rose fell to McIlroy, his grace in defeat was the same golf fans saw when Garcia defeated Rose in 2017. Garcia rallied to tie Rose that year, and after taking him down on the playoff hole, they embraced with Rose recognizing how much it meant to Garcia. 

After McIlroy rose from his knees after his green jacket-sealing putt, he approached Rose, and the two had a strong embrace. Rose knew how much the win meant for the career of McIlroy, who became the sixth golfer to complete a career Grand Slam. 

But it was also Rose’s 20th Masters without winning a green jacket. He’d come close in the past, and after hitting that birdie putt to give himself a chance, he seemed ready for the jacket. 

On the playoff hole, he put pressure on McIlroy twice with a great drive from the 18th tee in the middle of the fairway, and his approach shot gave him a close look at birdie. 

But McIlroy, with ice in his own veins, bombed his drive and put his approach within two feet after spinning it off the slope behind the hole. Rose gave his birdie look a go, but it curled too far right, and he tapped in for par. McIlroy didn’t miss this time. 

“Don’t know what the right word is,” Rose said when asked to describe how he feels looking back at Masters week. “Tormented, probably, by the thought of what might have been.”

Rose’s golf career doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. He’ll turn 45 in July, and he wants his own green jacket some day.

For now, he’ll have to look ahead, starting this week at Harbour Town Golf Links, where the RBC Heritage has a $20 million purse. 

The next major will be the PGA Championship, which Rose also has never won, at Quail Hollow next month. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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