ARDMORE: Justin Rose ended a 42-year title drought by English players at the US Open with his two-shot victory at Merion on Sunday and has been tipped by his predecessor, Tony Jacklin, to win several more majors.
Jacklin, who clinched the 1970 US Open at Hazeltine, applauded Rose’s strength of character and ice-cool finish, and has marked him out as one of the favourites for the July 18-21 British Open at Muirfield in Scotland.
“He’s a great champion now and he’s got it all together,” Jacklin, 68, told by telephone yesterday.
“It was a supreme test at Merion and he came through it with flying colours.
“He’s only 32 years old and he’s got 10 years ahead of him where he can look forward to more great performances and more major championship wins, I have got no doubt about it.
“He will certainly be one of the favourites at Muirfield in a few weeks’ time.”
Rose landed his first major title after carding a level-par 70 in challenging conditions at breezy Merion, overhauling the 54-hole leader Phil Mickelson and shrugging off two bogeys during the brutal five-hole closing stretch.
Asked what he regarded as Rose’s greatest attributes as a player, Jacklin replied: “First of all he had a tough start to his professional career. He dealt with a lot of adversity and dealing with that has given him a great foundation, it has toughened him up.”
He added: “And he has worked hard on his swing technique. He has got a beautiful ball swing now, a swing that’s proven this week it will stand to up to whatever they throw at him, pressure-wise. The way that he played that 18th hole was just spectacular.”
English golf has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years with Luke Donald and Lee Westwood both reaching the number one spot in the world rankings and players such as Ian Poulter and Paul Casey winning on both sides of the Atlantic.
Yet, just like six-times major champion Nick Faldo before them, none had managed to emulate Jacklin by winning the US Open until Rose’s breakthrough.
“I am quite surprised and 43 years is a long time but only a few players in my opinion have been really capable of doing it,” Jacklin said of England’s lengthy title drought at the major widely considered the most grueling to win. REUTERS
