10 birdies not enough for Rose

AUGUSTA (AFP) — Justin Rose says he produced some of the finest golf of his career at the 89th Masters, but even with a 10-birdie final round, he didn’t leave Augusta National with a green jacket.

The 44-year-old Englishman lost a playoff to Rory McIlroy, unable to match Rory McIlroy’s birdie at the first hole of sudden death.

It was the second time that Rose has fallen in a playoff at Augusta, where he lost to Sergio Garcia in 2017.

“Yeah, it hurts,” admitted Rose, who captured his only major title at the US Open in 2013 but was runner-up at The Open Championship at Troon last year after qualifying to get into the field.

That performance, and this week, have Rose believing that even in his 40s he can still add to a resume that includes a spell atop the world rankings and Olympic gold at Rio in 2016.

“Definitely, I’m proud of myself,” Rose said after posting a six-under final round of 66.

“I played great golf today.”

And Rose said he would use this latest near miss to spur him in what he has called the Indian Summer of his career.

“I think I already kicked on in my career when I finished second to Sergio here. But then I played some of the best golf of my career, got to world No. 1.”

“You can’t skip through a career without a little bit of heartache,” he said.

“It’s not going to happen. If you’re willing to lift the big championships, you’ve to put yourself on the line.”