AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Rose hoping to bloom again
PEBBLE BEACH — Justin Rose has spent his long career as a global golfer. He’s won tournaments from Hong Kong to South Africa to the Monterey Peninsula and on the six continents on which golf courses exist.
The South African native who moved to England with his family at age 5, made an early move toward his second win on the Monterey Peninsula Thursday with an opening-round 65 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Starting on the back nine, Rose, the 2023 AT&T winner, birdied three of the last four holes at Pebble Beach Golf Links and is in a multi-player crowd near the top of the leaderboard at 7-under-par.
With the AT&T beginning its second year as a Signature Event, Rose is one of five former AT&T titlists in the 80-player field. He tallied an eight-birdie, one-bogey round, completing his second nine with a 5-under 31.
Rose, who tied for 11th last year, is 55th in the world rankings. He’s playing for the second time this season after missing the cut last week in the Farmers Insurance Open.
With his desire to compete worldwide, Rose, 44, didn’t compete in the AT&T until 2016 when he tied for sixth. He returned the next year, finishing tied for 39th. He didn’t play again until 2022, finishing 62nd. A year later, Rose secured his 25th professional title and 11th on the PGA Tour.
After four days of fickle weather that included overcast skies, rain, hail, gusting winds and sunshine, Rose claimed a rare weekday win.
A two-shot leader after Sunday’s partial fourth round last year, Rose birdied three of his first four holes in the Monday finale for a final round 66 at Pebble Beach. Rose’s 18-under 269 total gapped Brendon Todd, who finished with a 65, and Brandon Wu, who carded a 66, by three shots. He was the only player to shoot in the 60s in all rounds.
Rose belongs to a rare golfing fraternity. With David Graham, Hale Irwin, Bernhard Langer and Gary Player, Rose is among the only pros who’ve tournaments on six continents. Rose joined the elite group when he won the gold medal in Brazil when golf debuted in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Like many top players, Rose has also had his lean years when his consistency vanished and his world ranking tanked. He fell out of the top 100 in 2005 and decided to play only on the European Tour. He reversed his decision later in the year and retained his PGA Tour card with several strong late-season results, including third place at the Buick Championship.
Rose’s newfound success occurred with one of golf’s never-ending traits. Players tweak their grips, backswings, putting stances and equipment. Rose did some of all it and his consistency and top results returned.
Rose became the first Englishman in 43 years to win the U.S. Open with his title at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania in 2013.
