Justin Rose is back in the winner’s circle for the first time in four years and looks set to mount a charge to make his sixth appearance for Team Europe.
The Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner could bring some much-needed experience to Luke Donald’s side that looks set to be without the likes of Ryder Cup legends including Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live (opens in new tab), Rose has admitted that the LIV players “will be missed” on both sides this year at Rome’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club but the biennial match won’t be “devalued” without them.
“There is so much strength in depth I don’t think it will be devalued,” he said of the possibility that LIV Golf players will miss out.
“People like watching Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter. They bring a lot of passion. They will be missed for sure but it is what it is.
“You have the powers that be, the traditional people who kind of still have control of golf, and you have an upstart league which is trying to bring in a fresh idea and rival product. It’s all good either way, it’s just can both fit together in this scenario.”
Rose, who has remained with golf’s traditional circuits to ensure he can still earn world ranking points and compete in Majors, also spoke of his friends Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson not being involved.
“Poults and Stenson have been partners of mine in many Ryder Cup matches and we’ve won an awful lot of points together so from that point of view, I’ll miss them out there,” he said.
Rose’s friends and former Ryder Cup teammates Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson look set to miss out on Rome 2023 after joining LIV Golf
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“I have seen them socially. I still text and call guys. Everyone can make their own decision, I do not think badly of them for doing that and they are still my mates.
“There are going to be consequences to that decision and obviously the rulings will determine whether that is good or bad for them. One good thing from a Ryder Cup point of view is this decision will be done early enough and whatever the outcome, there’s time for relationships to heal. Clarity is what most of us want.”
Rose’s Pebble Beach win has moved him up to 35th in the world and up to ninth in the European ‘World Points’ list as he look set to mount a charge for his sixth Ryder Cup appearance later this year. It would be his first since 2018 at Le Golf National after he missed out…
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