Justin Rose rues his miscues through Amen Corner and another lost chance at winning the Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Perhaps the only solace Justin Rose can take from another Sunday heartbreak at the Masters is that he didn’t finish second again. He finished in a four-way tie for third.
The popular 45-year-old Englishman, who lost a playoff to Rory McIlroy last year, ended up two shots behind him on Sunday. For a brief moment, it was Rose with a two-shot lead in the final round at Augusta National, until a series of mistakes through Amen Corner and a couple of birdies by the defending champ through the same stretch of holes dealt Rose another dose of disappointment. Two-time champion Scottie Scheffler made a late charge to finish second at 11 under, and Rose was another shot back, along with Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley and Cameron Young, who played in the final group with McIlroy but never got anything going.
“Just a chance that got away,” Rose lamented afterward. He's had a lot of them on the picturesque grounds of Augusta National. Rose has finished second three times, including another playoff loss to Sergio Garcia.
The only players to be runner-up more often in the Masters are Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Tom Weiskopf — and Nicklaus and Hogan each won more than one green jacket. “I feel like with a sudden-death loss,” Rose said, “you kind of know you got to the house. You've done everything it took to win.
Then it comes down to a flick of a coin at times. Whereas today I felt like, yeah, there was an opportunity to do better. ” Rose began the day three shots back of McIlroy and Young, but by the time he made the turn, he had reached 12 under and was back in contention.