Rose relaxed about Masters build-up

Justin Rose will go into the Masters with only one tournament under his belt in the previous month, but that is just the way he wants it.

The CA Championship, which starts at Doral’s Blue Monster course on Thursday, is the only event Rose will have played in the four weeks leading up to the year’s first major.

The world number seven skipped last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, even though he lives in the central Florida city, and will also take the next two weeks off, not playing the US PGA Tour events in New Orleans or Houston.

Rose last year had five weeks off before the Masters and six weeks immediately after it, playing just one tournament in 12 weeks – although that was not by choice, as he had a back problem that prevented him from competing.

Still, he nonetheless tied for fifth at Augusta National and was second in his following start, which opened the 27-year-old’s eyes to the fact a player need not necessarily grind his way into a major.

With Tiger Woods playing less frequently than any other top player, there must be something to the ’less is more’ theory.

“I’m planning this year around what worked last year,” said Rose. “Last year, I had two periods where I didn’t play for six weeks and came out and played great.”

Rose has played only four tournaments this year, but that was four in a row from mid-February through early March.

After a slow start, he has posted top-15s in his past two starts, so he looks forward to testing his form this week against the world’s greatest players.

Interestingly, this will be Rose’s first stroke-play tournament this year with Woods in the field.

He said: “I’ve been getting better each week, really close to playing well.

“It hasn’t quite all gelled yet. I’ve struggled with the putter a little bit, probably because I haven’t read the grain that well in Florida.”

At least Rose is assured of a start at the Masters, unlike Colin Montgomerie, who needs to finish no worse than fourth on Sunday to jump into the world’s top 50 and qualify.

Montgomerie, who is ranked 66th in the world, pulled out of last week’s Ballantine’s Championship in Korea because there were more world ranking points on offer at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida.

However, there are no points to be won for missing the cut, which was his fate, so perhaps he would have been better off going to Korea.

Graeme McDowell certainly does not have any complaints. He won in Korea, climbing to 59th in the world, although he needs another strong performance this week to punch his ticket to Augusta.

McDowell will be playing with a touch of jet lag, only arriving in Florida on Monday afternoon after a 14-hour time change.

Montgomerie, on the other hand, will not have that problem, having made the leisurely four-hour drive down from Orlando.