Justin Rose is starting to make an early case for the 2023 Ryder Cup.
The former World No. 1 ended a four-year winless drought Monday with his three-shot win at the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after a wild week of weather delayed the PGA Tour’s annual stop on the Monterey Peninsula, the first unscheduled Monday finish on Tour since the 2022 Players Championship.
Rose completed his final-round front nine before play was called due to darkness Sunday night and began Monday morning with a two-shot lead at 15 under. The 42-year-old Englishman cruised to three birdies over his final nine to sign for a 6-under 66 and finish at 18 under for the tournament, three clear of Brendon Todd (65) and Brandon Wu (66), who finished T-2 at 15 under. Keith Mitchell (68) and Peter Malnati (69) finished T-4 at 14 under.
At 42 years, 6 months and 7 days old, Rose became the oldest player to win on Tour since Phil Mickelson won the 2021 PGA Championship. He’s also the first player from Europe to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in the tournament’s illustrious history.
“I think overall, if I had to think about one thing it was just knowing I’m trending, just sometimes when you’re trending you kind of try a little too hard,” said Rose of the win, the 11th of his PGA Tour career. “I let my good golf come forward.”
A five-time member of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup, Rose has struggled to get in the mix over the last few years. Before Monday his last victory came at the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open, but Rose has been rounding back into form so far in the early goings of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season. The 2013 U.S. Open champion has finished inside the top 30 in five of six starts and posted a T-9 at the Cadence Bank Houston Open. With the European squad fractured due to key members joining LIV Golf, the reemergence of Rose could be key come time for the matches this fall in Italy.
“I haven’t even entertained what the Ryder Cup looks like for me. Other than I want to be there,” said Rose, who owns a 13-8-2 record in the biennial event against the Americans. “But I felt like what was really important to me was getting off to a good start on the PGA Tour so I wasn’t under pressure later in the season, so I could turn my attentions to the Ryder Cup and the European Tour as and when that becomes the important part of the phase of the season.”
“One thing I have realized is obviously I haven’t been playing enough great golf,” he explained, “but when I do play half decent I do give myself chances to win.
“Obviously a win does give you a lot of belief. We always know we can do it, but sometimes you got to see the proof.”
