UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Justin Rose looks to recreate magic of ’98 at Birkdale
Southport — After Justin Rose finished fourth in the British Open at Royal Birkdale as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998, it seemed inevitable he would soon go on to win the Claret Jug. But he returns to the Southport links for this week’s championship having never managed to match that performance as a professional. It is little wonder that Rose, now 36, spoke of "unfinished business" on Tuesday as he prepared for Thursday’s first round, when he will go out in a group with former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen of SA and Justin Thomas. "It surprises me after all these years that is still the best finish," he said of his 1998 performance when Mark O’Meara eventually won the title in a playoff against Brian Watts. Rose equalled the record low score for an amateur at The Open with a second-round 66, and there was a huge roar when he holed a pitch from the rough at the 18th on the Sunday for a birdie to secure a tie for fourth place. "I don’t want to say that if I don’t win this it’s going ...
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