With all the hubbub surrounding last week’s Aussie Open, it was quite easy to miss another epic sporting narrative unfolding at Torrey Pines. Sure, it may not have had the same stakes as Alcaraz-Djokovic.
But Justin Rose’s wire-to-wire victory at the Farmers Insurance Open was, in many ways, just as startling (except the old guy got over the line this time). In a sport increasingly dominated by players in their mid and early 20’s, 45-year-old Rose defied common sense en route to a mammoth seven-shot victory. The result sees the former US Open champ rise to an incredible 3rd in the OWGR (he is currently above Tommy Fleetwood). Could Rose- long considered a bit of an underachiever on the major circuit- use this as a springboard for Augusta National?
Rose vanquishes records in vintage display
Let’s just take a little step back and appreciate the magnitude of this victory. Honestly, this was the type of victory that wouldn’t look out of place in Scottie Scheffler’s recent portfolio. He opened with a 62 on the North Course and wouldn’t relent, arguably playing even better golf on the much tricker South Course (host of two US Opens). And much like Scheffler has done of late, he turned the event into a no-contest. The final round was a procession, with Rose barely getting out of first gear en route to 70. The victory made him the first wire-to-wire winner of this event since Tommy Bolt in 1955. Rose also got a chance to eclipse Tiger (something that unfortunately didn’t happen too often when he burst onto the scene). He finished the tournament at 23-under-par, breaking Tiger Woods’ tournament record 266 shot in 1999 (Geroge Burns also shot 266 back in 1987).
2025 laid the platform for this historic achievement
Lest we forget, Rose was ranked outside the top 50 at this time last year (this despite going close at the Open in 2024). It looked- at least briefly- as if age had finally caught up with him (see Phil Mickelson). But he defied anybody who wrote him off with a barnstorming finish at last year’s Masters, carding a final round 66 to force Rory into that epic playoff. Rory-mania essentially cast Rose as the unlikely villain, and he would ultimately have to settle for his 2nd runner-up finish at Augusta. But he got another chance to show his true quality later in the season, holding off bodacious hitter J.J. Spaun to claim the FedEx ST. Jude Championship. He then capped off the year by helping Europe retain the Ryder Cup in (extremely) hostile territory.
Keys to Rose resurgence
Much like fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, the key to Rose’s recent renaissance has been finding a few extra yards with the driver. With the likes of J.J. Spaun and Chris Gotterup just pulverizing the ball, 280 yards off the tee was just never going to be enough to compete at the top level. He has worked closely with sports scientists to change the mechanics of his swing, putting an emphasis on keeping his back to the target in transition and keeping his hands low. This has prevented him from getting too locked in. He has also kept those 45-year-old hips limber, keeping them closed to the target on the downswing while exploding through the zone on impact. He has also made core equipment changes, switching to the 2025 Titleist Pro V1x for improved distance and wind performance.
A bit of perspective
He also seems to be thriving in high-pressure situations. Rose is obviously smart enough to know that he can’t keep this form up forever. I think that little bit of perspective is making it easier for him to compete against much younger guys. Just look at the magnanimous way that he absorbed last year’s Augusta playoff defeat. It almost looked like there was a part of him that was happy for good friend Rory. I think that defeat could have been devastating ten years ago. But what more does the former World No.1, US Open champ and Olympic champ need to prove?
The million-dollar question
Can he parlay this Torrey Pines triumph into major success this season? It’s a tricky one. Tommy Fleetwood looks primed for a major tilt after his breakthrough end to the 2025 campaign. Rory is Rory and Scottie Scheffleer is looking nigh-on unbeatable. So, I still think it’s going to be a tough ask for Rose to finally claim that elusive 2nd major title. But a seven-shot romp on a ball-striker’s golf paradise does leave some room for dreaming.
