Ryder Cup boost helps ease latest Masters close call for Justin Rose

Justin Rose is on course to join Rory McIlroy as an automatic qualifier for the Ryder Cup in September after finishing runner-up in The Masters for the third time in his career.

In the first significant change in the European points list for a few months, Rose has joined McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Hojgaard, Shane Lowry and Ludvig Aberg in the automatic berths for Luke Donald’s team.

Thomas Detry, a winner on the PGA Tour earlier this year, is the player to drop out of the top six, with Tommy Fleetwood having also jumped above him after he finished just outside the top 20 in the season’s opening major.

Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose shake hands after their play-off in the 89th Masters | Harry How/Getty Images

After winner McIlroy, of course, it’s the performance of Rose at Augusta National, though, that will have delighted Donald, especially after his decision to hand his fellow Englishman a captain’s pick for the 2023 match in Rome was well and truly vindicated.

Rose, of course, holed a key birdie putt on the 18th green on the afternoon on the first day alongside Bob MacIntyre, pointing to all of his team-mates sitting at the back of the green as part of his celebration.

The 44-year-old is now aiming to be on the European team for a seventh time at Bethpage Black, having also been part of wins in 2012, 2014 and 2018.

“It's a bogey away from being the greatest round I've ever played,” said Rose of his closing 66 on Sunday to get into a play-off with McIlroy and then being a bit unlucky that his approach at the first extra hole ended up 15 feet away after landing a foot from the hole.

“You know, some of the golf I've played this week has been probably the finest of my career, tee-to-green, and even on the greens at times. But not really anything I could have done more today.”

Rose finished runner-up to Jordan Spieth at the Georgia venue in 2015 then again to Sergio Garcia, when he also lost in a play-off. He’s now finished second in the last two majors, having been pipped by Xander Schauffele in The Open at Royal Troon.

“I've already kicked on in my career when I finished second to Sergio here,” he said with a smile. “I then played some of the best golf of my career, got to world No. 1.

“You can't skip through a career without a little bit of heartache. It's not going to happen. If you're willing to lift the big championships, you've to put yourself on the line. You have to risk feeling this way to get the reverse.”

Rose and McIlroy shared a warm embrace on the 18th green, with Rose admitting he’d tried to be the “bad guy” by denying McIlroy’s his place in history but adding that it had been a “momentous occasion for the game of golf”.

Heaping praise on Rose, McIlroy said: “He's a great champion. He has displayed so much grace throughout his career. You know, selfishly, I was happy that it was another Euro in the play-off. We're on a good run at the minute. We're Ryder Cup year and all that.

“He's had a phenomenal record around here, and I feel for him a little bit because he's been so close. He's a good friend, and hopefully he has a few more opportunities.”