Fit-again Rose ready for return

It has been a difficult few months for Justin Rose, but the US Open champion is raring to go after taking time out to recover from an injury.
The world number five will make his 2014 debut at the Northern Trust Open at the at Riviera Country Club this weekend after spending several weeks on the sidelines due to a shoulder problem.
Rose injured his shoulder throwing a golf ball to his caddie in September, but battled through the pain. However, he was forced to take timeout in January and missed the Abu Dhabi Championship and the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
The 33-year-old, though, is eager to get going again so that he will once again be 100 per cent by the time the first major of the year comes around.
“A lot of hard work went into me being here,” the Englishman said. “If I’m honest, I’ve only really been hitting balls and my driver for about a week to 10 days now. So it really has been down to the wire.
“It was a race against time. If I wanted to play well in the near future, I thought it was important for me to get out and play some competitive golf. That’s how I’m going to contend in majors. Certainly, I want to be 100 per cent come April for The Masters.”
Rose has indicated that he is likely to play at next week’s WGC Accenture Match Play if he comes through the Riviera, and he admits he’s “swinging it really nicely” after his injury-enforced absence.
“I played pretty much from October last year with it not perfect,” he continued. “I assumed a little bit of rest over Christmas would heal it, but it didn’t really and that’s when I knew I needed to put a little bit of extra time into it, but nothing serious, nothing torn, no surgery required, nothing like that.
“I’m feeling good. Like I said, a lot of hard work went into me being here. I figured that I wanted to get out and play, and if I wanted to play well in the near future, I thought it was important for me to get out and play some competitive golf.
“My game’s felt really good at home. I’m swinging it really nicely and everything technically looks really good. I had an opportunity to spend a lot of time on my short game, but when you get a scorecard in your hand everything is a little different. So I wanted to get my season under way.”
Latest
-
News
Westwood, McDowell back petition to allow English golf courses to open
The duo have added their names to a petition that has passed 100 000 signatures.
-
News
Xander Schauffele pledges to ‘fake it until I make it’ after contracting Covid
Schauffele is one of 16 players in the Sentry Tournament of Champions who failed to win an official event last season.
-
News
After years with TaylorMade, Jon Rahm joins Callaway
Spaniard will have Callaway woods and irons in his bag at Sentry Tournament of Champions.
-
News
What to expect from the 2021 OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic
There are more prestigious events on the European Tour, but there’s no denying that the Dubai Desert Classic just has something about it.
-
News
Organisers delay ticketing process for 2021 Masters as another fan shutout looms
Augusta National Golf Club is considering its options before making a call on 2021 Masters.
-
News
Tiger Woods’ former swing coach: I think I over-coached him
Sean Foley reckons he didn’t give Tiger the help he really needed.
-
News
Greg Norman returns home from hospital to await coronavirus test results
The 65-year-old spent Christmas Day in hospital after experiencing symptoms.
-
News
Greg Norman in hospital with coronavirus
The 65-year-old shared a photo of himself in a hospital bed on Christmas Day.
-
News
Lee Westwood sees age as no barrier to his golfing aspirations
Westwood, at the age of 47, has been crowned European Tour’s Golfer of the Year for 2020.
-
News
Tiger Woods and son Charlie finish seventh in PNC Championship
Tiger said it was “incredibly special” to spend quality time with his son on the golf course.