Rose eager to reignite season in Ohio

Memorial Tournament preview

Posted: 2 June 2011
by Andy Roberts

Defending champion Rose

Justin Rose will find himself singing from the same hymn sheet as Graeme McDowell this week, after finding very little form to shout about in the build-up to his Memorial Tournament defence.

But just like the Northern Irishman, who is looking to end a recent poor run by defending his Wales Open crown on the other side of the pond, Rose knows one good performance is all it takes to ignite a season.

And there was no better example than last year, as Rose ended a three-year winless streak to capture his first victory on the PGA Tour, before following it with another at the AT&T National a month later.

Although this season began brightly for Rose with six top-20 finishes in his first eight events, it took a turn for the worse following two missed cuts, including last week’s BMW PGA.

But despite the disappointing performance at one of his most cherished events, Rose believes he has every chance to bloom on American soil again this week.

“My game is making some progress and I’ve been working hard this week with the driver,” said the 30-year-old. “Muirfield Village is a course where you need to drive the ball well and I like to think that will play to my advantage.

“The bunkering is pretty fierce, but I’m really looking forward to Thursday – I’ve got a great draw with Martin Kaymer and Charl Schwartzel.”

But the Memorial Tournament will also play host to a rare sight on the PGA Tour this season, as a player will be announced on the tee as World No.1. It's just a shame for them that he's not American.

For many years, Luke Donald was derided by critics for lacking a winning mentality; he was even dismissed by Tiger Woods as a plodder.

Whether the words of the former five-year World No.1 were a show of disrespect deliberately using British slag or a cutting American appraisal of the Englishman’s lack of consistency remains open to debate.

Yet one thing is certain, both interpretations are now out of date, after Donald plodded his way to the top of the world ladder and silenced his critics with playoff victory at the BMW PGA on Sunday.

And there will be no better way for the Englishman to prove why he has been crowned World No.1, for the first time in his career, by claiming Jack Nicklaus' event this week.

Rory McIlroy will also be searching for form, alongside American contingent Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker, Nick Watney and Matt Kuchar, as the US Open looms in two weeks time.

Golfmagic caught up with Rose two weeks ago to see what he thought of Wentworth's Taylormade Performance Lab.