A closing birdie on the second day of The 143rd Open Championship helped Justin Rose inch ever closer to the top of the leaderboard and within reach of an astonishing treble.
Having won on his last two starts, in the Quicken Loans National on the US PGA Tour and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, Rose is this week bidding to emulate the feats of his fellow Major Champion Martin Kaymer, the last European to win in three consecutive appearances in 2010.
After signing for a round of 70 and a two under par aggregate score at the midway stage of golf’s oldest tournament, Rose is well placed to run up an heroic hat-trick at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
The Englishman, who could go to World Number One with victory this week, said: “I was pleased with that. It was difficult out there today, and that round was probably just good enough to keep me right in it. I couldn’t have asked for more out of today, to be honest with you.
“When I chipped in at the ninth and 10th, I felt like I got my championship going. And I felt from that point that I could probably pick up a couple more, but the course definitely proved to be difficult.
“Even on the downwind holes, it was hard to get the ball close to the hole, but picking one up at the last there was a nice way to finish.”
On the stiffening breeze, Rose felt that whilst conditions were undoubtedly tough, the course was still just about playable.
“There’s always a tipping point with links courses,” he said. “I think in a ten to 15 miles per hour breeze, it’s sort of fun to play. But if it gets toward 20 miles an hour, which I would imagine it did today, that’s when it gets a little extreme, and the ball starts oscillating. And it’s tough to keep your balance while you’re putting and holing out.
“So it got to the point today, especially on the back nine. We had an hour or so where I felt like we were just hanging on, but I managed to get the job done.”
