Justin Rose suffers Masters heartbreak as Rory McIlroy seals victory
Justin Rose suffered further heartbreak at the Masters on Sunday as he surrendered a final-day lead to finish two shots behind reigning champion Rory McIlroy at Augusta National.
The 45-year-old shot a closing two-under-par 70 to finish on 10 under for the tournament, extending his agonising wait for a coveted green jacket.
Despite becoming the oldest player in tournament history to record back-to-back top-five finishes, the veteran was left to rue a costly sequence of dropped shots.
Amen Corner proves pivotal
The Englishman made a blistering start to his final round, covering the front nine in four under par to take a commanding two-shot advantage at the turn.
However, his momentum was abruptly halted around the notorious Amen Corner, where back-to-back bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes erased his cushion.
A costly three-putt for par from 30 feet on the par-five 13th further derailed his charge, before a late bogey on the 17th definitively ended his hopes of catching the Northern Irishman.
“[It was a] chance that got away, obviously,” admitted Rose following his round.
“I was by no means kind of free and clear and was nowhere kind of close to having the job done, but I was right in position.”
“The mentality was to run through the finish line – not just try and get it done. I was playing great, but just momentum shifted for me around the Amen Corner.”
Another near miss at Augusta
This latest setback comes just 12 months after the Olympic gold medallist was narrowly defeated by McIlroy in a dramatic sudden-death playoff.
He has now accumulated three runner-up finishes at the prestigious Georgia venue, tying him for the second-most second-place finishes without a victory behind Tom Weiskopf.
“With a sudden-death loss you kind of know you got to the house,” the former world number one explained when comparing the two defeats.
“You’ve done everything it took to win. Then it comes down to flick of a coin at times.”
“Whereas today I felt like, yeah, there was an opportunity to do better, so obviously that is frustrating for sure.”
Looking ahead to Masters history
Despite the frustration of a 16th top-25 finish in 21 appearances, the experienced campaigner felt the unwavering support of the patrons, who offered a rapturous ovation on the 18th fairway.
He will be 46 when he returns for another attempt next spring, the exact age Jack Nicklaus was when he famously became the oldest Masters champion in 1986.
Fellow professional Tyrrell Hatton remains confident that his compatriot’s time will eventually come at the first major championship of the year.
“I feel like if there was anyone that is deserving of a green jacket, it probably would be Rosey,” Hatton said.
