Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Rose, the world No.1, poses with a mini globe during the pro-am prior to the Saudi International at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. 

By Kent Gray
U.S. Open champion at Merion in 2013. Gold medalist at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Repeat Ryder Cup legend. Reigning FedEx Cup champion on the PGA Tour. Current world No.1.

Justin Rose is the consummate modern day professional, as genial off the course with fans and the media as he is lethal on the fairways of the world presently. And the best, the 38-year-old Englishman assured everyone on the eve of the new Saudi International, is yet to come.

But before we get to that, what’s this? A chink in the European Tour star’s seemingly unflappable public persona, or more specifically an unrepairable dent or three in the tools of his trade?

The scene, it was revealed on Wednesday, is the locker-room at Royale Jakarta in the immediate aftermath of last month’s Indonesian Open. A final round 75 has just seen Rose plummet from a share of fourth overnight to a T-17 finish that will cost him the chance of leap-frogging Brooks Koepka into the No.1 spot for Christmas.

“Yeah, this is true,” said Rose, pre-armed with humour as he set about answering the charge, levelled by a journalist who had also been in Jakarta, of being human after one of his rare disappointing rounds last year.

“I knew I didn’t have any need for my wedges, so there was a ceremonial — calm but ceremonial dismantling. It was like, you know, how is this going to fit in the golf bag better? I think in two pieces it will fit much better (laughter).”

It seems even the normally composed Rose is not immune to the odd outburst as a result of this utterly maddening game. It helps that the offending wedges were about to be benched anyway as he began a new, lucrative deal with the Japanese club-maker Honma.

“Jakarta, the final round, I knew what was on the line. I wanted to finish the year No. 1, and just totally botched up the final round and it was due to the wedges. I was chipping it over greens, duffing it. I had a tough time there. Just took out a little bit of frustration.”

As a seasoned press-conference candidate is want to do, Rose quickly turned the line of questioning into a plug for his new club supplier and a preview to what he’s working on heading into his first European Tour start of the year.

“So the scoring clubs is also where I feel like the improvement is to be had in my game, and chipping, wedge play, 150 yards and in. I think that’s an area that I’m going to focus on.

“That [Royale Jakarta] almost in my way, it was triggering that, giving myself that inspiration and motivation to start something new, start something fresh. The turn of the year is a good start to say, okay, this is what I’m going to work on going forward.”

Rose admitted that he was still experimenting with the bounce and sole shapes on his new scoring clubs but already feels largely comfortable with his new sticks. “Even if I had stayed at TaylorMade, I’d be playing new equipment. Every year there’s new drivers, new irons released. It’s never a new process. Changing equipment is something we get used to.”

Indeed, he arrived in King Abdullah Economic City fresh from winning the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, less than three months since his last European Tour win in Turkey. Clubs are temporary, class permanent.

Given the confidence you bring to Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, do you feel like your best golf is still to come?

“I really do to be honest with you. I’ve been saying maybe for a year or two that I’m in the prime of my career. I feel fit. I feel strong. I’m hitting the ball really well. I have the benefit of many years of experience under my belt now, so yes, it’s the best of both worlds.

“Now is a time for me to really go on and achieve my dreams. There’s times in your career where you can put it down to experience and chalk it up to experience, and there’s times in your career where you have to just go and do it. I’m definitely in the do-it phase for sure.”

Rose said playing in a field containing Koepka, world No.3 Dustin Johsnon, No.5 Bryson DeChambeau added spice to the Saudi International.

“Obviously last year we had four guys, I think Thomas, Johnson, Brooks and myself kind of vying for it [No.1]. Especially the end of the year was like back and forth between me and Brooks. It was going to take a player a good run and a consistent run of wins to go break clear of that.

“So obviously last week I managed to just putt a little bit of breathing space in there, and that’s motivation for me this week is to continue that form to try and continue building that lead.

“I mean, the world No. 1 position is important to me but it’s not my primary focus this year. My primary focus this year will be around the major championships, but clearly it’s a nice thing to have. The bigger lead you can build, the better.

“But in a scenario like this where you are playing against the top three in the world, at a tournament like this, it is on your mind and it’s nice to, it will be extra motivation, obviously, to keep going forward.”