Justin Rose: Masters play-off loss to Rory McIlroy hurts however no regrets

Justin Rose insisted he had “no regrets” after struggling a second agonising Masters play-off defeat however admitted his loss to Rory McIlroy “hurts”.

Eight years after shedding out to Sergio Garcia in a play-off at Augusta Nationwide, Rose was edged out by McIlroy because the pair replayed the 18th – having earlier clawed again a four-stroke deficit with six holes to play.

“It hurts,” stated Rose, whose tenth birdie of the day when taking part in the 18th in regulation had accomplished an excellent, six-under closing spherical of 66.

“What are you going to do about it, though? I think I’ve already kicked on in my career when I finished second to Sergio here, played some of the best golf of my career, got to world number one.

“What do you select to dwell on, have you learnt what I imply? There is no level in being too despondent about it and also you have a look at all the great things that acquired me into this example.

“You possibly can’t skip by means of a profession with out a little little bit of heartache. It is not going to occur. If you happen to’re prepared to carry the large championships, you have to place your self on the road.

“You need to threat feeling this option to get the reverse. It nets out.

“For me, it’s just about fulfilling my childhood dreams, really, giving everything I’ve got and no regrets.

“I feel that is what it is all about for me is simply attempting to look beneath each stone, push myself as laborious as I can to be the perfect I might be, and I feel that is what being skilled is.”

Rose ‘prepared to place within the work’ in pursuit of dream

Rose, the 2013 US Open winner, additionally completed runner-up to Xander Schauffele in The Open at Royal Troon final 12 months and stays decided to nonetheless compete on the highest degree on the age of 44.

“It doesn’t get any easier for sure,” Rose added. “I feel as you undergo your profession, you form of assume, ‘oh, nicely, hopefully expertise kicks in and sure issues turn out to be simpler’.

“But no, I feel like I’m having to be more disciplined and make more sacrifices now than I ever have. That, I would say, is what I’m trying to do. I’m willing to put in that work.

“The rationale I am prepared to place in that work is for these events, these moments. A standing ovation on 18 after I completed, I took a second, not realizing the consequence, however simply soaking that in.

“That was obviously a nice moment because it was still a case of what might be, what could be, you’re living the dream.

“Like someday, I will not be competing this manner at this event. So, for now, the laborious work is completely value it, to get these little moments, they’re very particular.”

One minor consolation for Rose is that his performance at Augusta has lifted him into the automatic qualifying places for this year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage, where Europe will aim to retain the trophy Rose and McIlroy helped win in Rome in 2023.

Gap-by-hole breakdown of McIlroy’s Masters win

Gap 13 – Main by 4 going into the opening, McIlroy elects to put up on the par-five however knocks a wedge into Rae’s Creek – from beneath 90 yards – together with his third shot, leading to a fourth double-bogey of the week. Additional alongside the course, Rose’s back-to-back birdies from the fifteenth abruptly earn him a share of the lead.

Rating – 11 McIlroy, -11 Rose (16), -9 Åberg (14)

Gap 14 – McIlroy’s tee shot leaks extensive and in direction of the timber, and he misses the inexperienced together with his second shot, then fails to stand up and down from off the inexperienced for par. It leaves Rose, taking part in the seventeenth gap, with a one-shot lead.

Rating – 11 Rose (16), -10 McIlroy, -10 Åberg (14)

Gap 15 – McIlroy produces a contender for shot of his profession with a shocking strategy from the pines, leaving him inside eight ft for eagle, though he settles for the two-putt birdie. It is sufficient for the outright lead after Rose bogeys the seventeenth.

Rating: -11 McIlroy, -10 Rose (17), -10 Åberg (16)

Gap 16 – McIlroy hits an amazing tee shot into the ultimate par-three on the course however misses the birdie putt to increase his benefit, which drops him again right into a share of the lead after Rose finishes his spherical with a long-range birdie at 18.

Rating – 11 McIlroy, -11 Rose (F), 10 Åberg (16)

Gap 17 – McIlroy restores his solo lead after drilling a shocking iron shot to inside three ft of the flag and changing the putt, taking him again to degree par for the spherical. Rose heads to the observe space within the hope of a play-off.

Rating – 12 McIlroy, -11 Rose (F), -9 Reed (17)

Gap 18 – McIlroy sends a wedge from the center of the 18th fairway into the greenside bunker however splashes out to 5 ft, solely to overlook his putt for par and fall right into a play-off with Rose.

Rating – -11 McIlroy, -11 Rose, -9 Reed

Play-off gap – Rose and McIlroy each discover the green off the par-four 18th tee. Rose knocks his ball onto the inexperienced however misses his birdie try, as McIlroy nails his strategy to inside two ft and converts the career-defining putt.

Rating – Rory McIlroy wins the profession Grand Slam!

What’s subsequent?

The PGA Tour heads to Hilton Head for the RBC Heritage, the newest Signature Occasion, with early protection on Thursday from 12.15pm on Sky Sports activities Golf forward of full protection from 7pm.

The ladies’s main season begins with the Chevron Championship from April 24-27, the place Nelly Korda is defending champion, whereas the following males’s main is the PGA Championship at Quail Hole Membership kind Could 15-18. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with NOW.