U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 15, 2014

Justin Rose

Q. That had to make you feel good?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, it's a nice way to finish. Actually, today the course got the better of me a little bit. I got frustrated today. I played really nicely and, yeah, I felt like there was a score for me today, I just kind of let it get away. It was nice to finish that way. Obviously, walking up 18, I was reminding myself - you win some, lose some. Obviously I had the great moment last year, and then today no doubt dejected by walking up 18. It had been a hard round, but just kind of walking up 18, try towards the end of it to realize and appreciate, like I said, you win some, you lose some. And you've got to take the good with the bad. But it was a nice moment. The crowd -- got me a nice reception up 18 there. It was certainly fun to finish that way and in a way honor Payne Stewart. He was always one of my favorite golfers.

Q. Nice touch.
JUSTIN ROSE: We hit that putt many times in practice. I was a little further to the right, so I usually go left, rather than straight, as Payne's did. But it had the same feel as Payne's putt. I just tried to have a little fun at that point.

Q. This was four out of the last five for Europeans in the U.S. Open. You know golf history, that did not used to be the case. Why do you think it's happening now?
JUSTIN ROSE: Well, I think a lot of us are playing the majority of our golf over here. A lot of us have made the U.S. our home. So coming over and playing is no longer a foreign feeling. Obviously we play the majority of our golf on the PGA TOUR. The PGA TOUR is a great building ground. You play in big environments. You play in front of huge crowds all the time. So you get a lot more comfortable, whereas I think the transition used to be a lot starker or more dramatic. In Europe, maybe the crowds aren't as good, and all of a sudden you get an audience in these big championships. That's the way I see it. I think geographically a lot of us are now semi-Americans, the way we set up our schedule.

Q. One quick question. What made you do your Payne Stewart?
JUSTIN ROSE: I think I did it in practice, I was messing around. Obviously I just wanted to make the putt. As it was going in, I don't know what makes you make the decision so quickly. But, yeah, actually I wanted to -- actually, I tried to remember to honor my dad up 18. Once I made the putt and all the commotion, I didn't get a chance to do that. Obviously you just go with the flow at that point.

Q. One last thing, your year as U.S. Open champion, how has it affected you, changed you, made you better? How has it affected you?
JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, it's been a big year. It's been a busy year. It's been a hard year in some ways, too. You win a Major and you think everything is going to be great from there on. Golf continues you test you. You continue to have your struggles there with the game. And that's the beautiful thing about it. It's made me appreciate winning is not everything, as well, right? I feel that I've come to the point of now having won my first Major, a year out now, no longer the reining U.S. Open champion. It's a gift that it happens. Many players it passes them by. So the fact I have one under my belt, I want to really use it to free me up and just to really -- obviously when I get in contention again, just use it to freewheel a little bit more. I didn't quite do that today -- well, saying that, I did play really well today. I got on the wrong end of a couple of breaks. And I felt like I got a little frustrated with that, which is not the way you're going to win Major championships. Another learning curve to me, you need to stay so disciplined in Majors, and if you don't, it's very easy for your score to escalate. Often you have to relearn the lessons you've learned. And that's part of the challenge. But it's been a great year. I feel very privileged to have had that trophy for a year and made myself a part of golf history.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports