Justin Rose triumphs at Memorial for maiden PGA Tour win
It may have taken him seven years and 162 tournaments, but Justin Rose has finally taken his maiden PGA tour win - and the Englishman did so in some style, winning by three strokes over the formidable young talent Rickie Fowler, who had began the final day of the Memorial Tournament three strokes ahead of the field.
Though Rose has six tournament wins to his name from various competitions around the world, victory on the PGA Tour had previously proven elusive for the 29-year-old. But Rose was in outstanding form at Muirfield Village yesterday, six birdies during a flawless round seeing him come home in a six-under-par 66 for the lowest round of the day, and 18-under in total.
Fowler had a shakier final day, three bogeys and a double on the 12th saw him lose ground to Rose. The 21-year-old is also seeking his first win on Tour, having already racked up two second place finishes since he turned pro last September. But if Fowler was disappointed not to close the win, he remained sanguine in defeat.
"It was an awesome week," Fowler said. "Obviously not the round that I wanted today. Didn't hit as many greens as I would like to, but we just had a lot of fun."
Rose's win propels him to No. 33 in the world and is the latest in a remarkable sequence of victories for English and British talent this year; Luke Donald won at last week's Madrid Masters after four years without a trophy, while Ian Poulter and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy have both enjoyed impressive victories in the US in 2010.
And although Lee Westwood is without a win this year, the world No. 3's list of finishes at his last three majors read third, third and second - encouraging news for Colin Montgomerie's Ryder Cup hopes in a week when revelations of the Scot's infidelities have forced him to deny the revelations would affect his captaincy of the European team.
Back at the Memorial Tournament, and some of the bigger names failed to shine, Phil Mickelson's challenge fading on Sunday as he found an asphalt cart track on the 15th, an errant drive that eventually resulted in a double bogey, even if Mickelson was game enough to hit the ball from the track using his driver. Mickelson finished tied for 15th place, on 11-under.
Last year's winner Tiger Woods is still tentatively finding his way back into the game following various setbacks, but the world No. 1 appeared quietly encouraged by his performance here; finishing on six-under for the tournament and tied for 19th place, Woods last round was a mixed bag of birdies and bogeys, but he told reporters he had learned something.
"I'm capable of playing four rounds in a row," said Woods, who has previously done that only one other time this year, during his comeback at the Masters. That might seem a somewhat negligible positive, but the 34-year-old is starting to realise he can take nothing for granted right now.
It's a realisation that yesterday's winner is more than familiar with - even if right now, everything is finally coming up Roses.
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