Justin Rose is hoping to make all his experience count at the 2021 BMW PGA Championship as he looks for a victory that could fulfil two ambitions at Wentworth Golf Club.
The Englishman made his debut at this event in 2001 and since then has twice finished second but never lifted the trophy, with two other top tens along the way.
Rose admits he has dreamt of winning at Wentworth and a victory in what he considers his home event would be yet another achievement in a career that has seen him become a Major, Rolex Series, World Golf Championships and Olympic Champion, as well as reaching Number One in the Official World Golf Ranking.
He is also a veteran of five Ryder Cups, with three wins to his name, but he will have to claim European Tour victory number 12 on Sunday to have any chance of of sneaking into the qualification places for Padraig Harrington's team for Whistling Straits.
"It feels like Wentworth of old," he said on a glorious afternoon in Surrey. "People are really excited to be out, it's an event that I've always loved coming back to play because of the support you get.
Great being back on the @EuropeanTour and playing in the @BMWPGA 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/drzplTvgr6
— Justin ROSE (@JustinRose99) September 6, 2021
"For me, this feels like my sort of local, boyhood home tournament - one that I've dreamt about playing as a young boy and one day having the opportunity to win.
"I haven't managed the last part but I've been close a few times.
"I think the way it's playing right now is it's quite a strategic golf course. Not many drivers out there, have to be quite patient off the tee and put the ball in play. The greens are getting firm. You've got to be quite on point with your iron play and stuff like that.
"I think from a strategy point of view it's going to play tricky and hopefully experience counts from that point of view. I think there's the advantage. The rest comes down to, can you do it, execution."
For me, this feels like my sort of local, boyhood home tournament - one that I've dreamt about playing as a young boy and one day having the opportunity to win
Rose has qualified outright for each of his five Ryder Cup appearances since 2008 and after missing out in 2010, he is eager to avoid having to rely on a captain's pick.
"You never want to rely on it," he said. "You put yourself in that position and you've got to deal with the consequences.
"I do still have a road into the team and I may as well focus on that... that's the clear objective, it's an easy objective - win or bust so I'm not relying on other results and things like that. That's plan A.
"Plan B is to show enough form that I'm playing well and can be relied upon and at that point you hope that your record speaks for itself and your experience in the tournament and the fact that you've been a valuable team member in the past."
