Rose looks to bloom at Open as he tees off with Tiger

THE contrast could hardly be greater for Justin Rose than it will be on Thursday when he tees off with Tiger Woods at St Andrews.

Five years ago, the last time The Open was at the home of golf, Rose spent all day close to the first tee as first reserve — and never got out.

Now, following two wins in his last three events in America, he will be playing the first two rounds with the world number one, runaway winner of the last two championships at the course and inevitably the centre of attention yet again on his first trip to Britain since revelations about his private life.

“I was not surprised to be honest — I kind of called it, actually,” said Rose after discovering the draw had put them together for the third time in nine years. I’m looking forward to the week and I’m looking forward to that. I wasn’t concerned one way or the other — you’ve got to play the course and a St Andrews Open is the iconic thing. No-one is bigger than that this week. It doesn’t get any better.

“It’s got the opportunity to be a distraction for sure, but I was always going to get a fairly busy group. I don’t think it has ramped it up way different from what I was expecting.”

While Rose has re-ignited his career in the last six weeks, Woods has still not won since revelations about his tangled private life hit the headlines last November.

He has come fourth at both The Masters — his first event back — and last month’s US Open, but has really struggled in other events and last week flew home from Ireland to spend time with his children before returning across the Atlantic.

“I’ve not had a run like this for a long, long time, and he’s not had the type of run he’s had probably ever, but I still think he’s the man to beat,” added Rose.

“If he gets his confidence going there’s a ‘horses for courses’ mentality. He’ll remember shots he has hit and how to play the course.”

As for the reception Woods might receive from the crowds, the 29-year-old said: “It will be like sheep — if people start to clap him everybody will follow suit. If he gets playing well I think they’ll be excited and respond accordingly.”

The pair will tee off with Colombian Camilo Villegas at 9.09am in the first round.

As for new US Open champion Graeme McDowell, he has to wait until just before 2pm and plays with two former winners of that title, Jim Furyk and Geoff Ogilvy.