Rose sees signs of improvement

Justin Rose finished a disappointing week in an optimistic frame of mind today.

“I feel like there’s some very good golf lurking somewhere,” said Rose, whose 71 for a two-over-par total in the European Open was his last competitive outing before The Open.

Royal Birkdale is, of course, where he finished an incredible fourth as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998 and he has not played a tournament there since.

A third-round 77 completed with a triple-bogey seven had dropped the world number nine down near the rear of the field at The London Club and the final day was all about boosting his confidence.

“I was hanging in, hanging in, but yesterday afternoon caught up with me – you can only stay patient for so long.

“The result does not bear reflection on how I played and getting a good feeling in the wind makes the week worthwhile just in case the weather’s bad at Birkdale.

“I’m doing a lot of things really well and right. I’ve just got to keep persevering. I changed my putting routine today – more instinctive and freewheeling – and to hole a couple was an amazing feeling. I’d putted really poorly before.”

Rose signed off by playing the last four holes in two under in wind and rain, and after two days’ rest will continue his countdown by practising links golf on the Kent coast, probably at Sandwich or Deal.