“It's quickly forgotten, you're on to the next champion” – Justin Rose says winning the Olympics resonates more with fans than Major championships
Justin Rose has won an Olympic gold medal as well as a Major championship, but he believes that success at the Olympics resonates more with fans than victories in the Majors. He reasons that the Olympics take place quadrennially, unlike the frequent recurrence of Major championships.
Rose secured his only Major title at the 2013 US Open, defeating Jason Day and Phil Mickelson by two strokes. Three years later, he clinched a gold medal at the Rio Olympics, triumphing over Henrik Stenson by two strokes. It was the first time golf was included in the Olympics since 1908.
Speaking at the Tuesday press conference ahead of the Sony Open, the 43-year-old Englishman revealed that he is more commonly referred to as the Olympic gold medalist because people quickly move on to the next major champion.
Rose said:
"What I did notice about the US Open was you win one and obviously you're forever a Major champion, forever a US Open champion, and the golf fan remembers that. In three weeks' time there is an Open champion, so quickly forgotten. You're onto the next champion. Whereas the Olympics did resonate for a long, long time.
"That's the biggest thing about the Olympics for me is I was surprised how much it resonated with the golf fan. Quite clearly back in 2016 some of the top players didn't really get on board with how meaningful an achievement it is. I think if the fan begins to identify with it, then it becomes important to the players as well."
He added that he hoped the Olympics would become a significant achievement in golf in the future.
Rose said that he was hoping to be in this year's Paris Olympic squad; however, he added that it was not going to be easy for him as he, along with Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, and Tommy Fleetwood, are fighting for just two spots. He can also qualify if he finishes inside the top 15 of the Olympic Golf Rankings. The maximum limit for players from a country is four.
On this, Rose added:
"It's up to me to play my way into that top 15, and that's a massive goal for sure. Tokyo 2020 I was actually in the team, and by '21 I had actually slipped out. The Olympics has been something special for me. Clearly I walked around for four or five years with that tag lines and the fans identify a lot with me, so to have the opportunity to go back would be unbelievable.
"Paris is a golf course I love and know, and yeah, I feel like I can still challenge obviously for another one. But you've got to be in it to win it. Yeah, first and foremost a lot of hard work for me to be able to make the team."
When will Justin Rose tee off at the Sony Open?
Justin Rose is grouped with Brian Harman and Matt Fitzpatrick for the first two rounds of the Sony Open. The trio will tee off on Thursday, January 11, at 12:45 am ET from the 10th tee for the opening round. He was last seen at The Sentry last week, where he finished T40.