Stomach bug a good teacher - Rose

Last updated: 28th January 2012

Justin Rose was tied for 30th at 5-under 139 after the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open, but he was very happy to be there - and with the way that he got there.

Furthermore, the 31-year-old South African-born, US-based Englishman believes that this, his opening tournament of the season, has established an excellent foundation for the rest of the season.

Why so?

Largely it's because he is proud of the way in which he has fought off a stomach bug infection that saw him put on an intravenous drip and which threatened to force him to pull out of the Torrey Pines event even before it had started

But its's also because he believes he has come through the unfortunate experience a stronger and wiser contestant, having learned a lesson that could make him more competitive in the up-coming season.

He told Reuters: "I am happy with where I am at for my first tournament of the year.

"This bug forced me to be patient, it forced me not to get too far ahead of myself and it forced me to do a lot of good things mentally that will set a good foundation for the rest of the year.

"I feel like I have accepted the good and the bad out there pretty well this week and that's a good formula for the rest of the year," Rose said on Friday after shooting five birdies and giving away just one bogey..

Currently the World No 16, whose most recent win was at the BMW Championship late last year during the FedExCup playoffs, said he had come within a whisker of withdrawing from this week's event before the opening round after falling ill on Wednesday afternoon and then losing a lot of fluid during the night.

But a doctor, called out in the early hours of the morning on Thursday helped save the day.

"I really thought I was going to have to withdraw," Rose said. "I couldn't walk around my first tournament of the year throwing up all over the place.

"But luckily that stopped early on Thursday and then I just tried to get myself as refreshed as I could to tee off at 10."

After having two litres of fluid pumped into him intravenously, Rose went out and shot a one-under-par 71 on the tricky South Course - but keeping going was never easy.

"My legs went around the turn but we battled. My caddie was great. There was enough food in the bag for us to go to the North Pole," he smiled. We were fully kitted out for every eventuality and we managed to survive.

"Today wasn't much better, to be honest with you. I went back to my room for a couple of hours after the round and I feel a bit better now."

Just before he began a late afternoon chipping and putting practice Rose admitted that the uncertainty surrounding his fitness remained his major concern going into the weekend.

"It's just the unnerving nature of not knowing what your body's going to do," he said.

"I am hoping if the body settles down, I won't feel too bad. I've got all my strength, which is a good thing. If I can just get a bit more confidence in the stomach, I will be in good shape."