VOLVO PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 22, 2003

Justin Rose

GORDON SIMPSON: Justin, a lovely, solid start, 68. Do you feel that's just what you wanted today?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I'm delighted with that start, really, to be honest. No bogeys, which always gets me excited when I don't make a bogey out on the course. That means I'm thinking well, playing steadily and staying patient, really. Pretty good start. Happy.

GORDON SIMPSON: You said on TV that a few holes can catch you up but you had some good chances.

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, there are some scoring chances around the middle there and obviously the two par 5s at the end. There are chances all over the course, but it can also -- it's tricky, too, and it can bite you, as well.

GORDON SIMPSON: John mentioned the flower on your cap. Can you explain why you are wearing that today?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yes, it's for the Wessex Cancer Trust, which is helping raise funds for a new ward at a hospital where my dad spent a lot of time. There will be a ward, a hematology ward, so it's close to my heart.

Q. How long have you been doing charity stuff for them?

JUSTIN ROSE: I've got a golf day for them coming up, the 18th of June, the Wednesday after the U.S. Open, anyway. It's a small charity so they are trying to raise a couple hundred grand for the ward.

Q. Just started, it's just been announced or has it been going on?

JUSTIN ROSE: It's been going on for a while and they have just sort of broken in recently to try to help them out. I think it's 400 they need and we are halfway there.

Q. Is this as well as you've played this year?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I would say. I mean, I felt like I played -- I've gone through spells of hitting the ball nicely but I think in terms of playing, this is the last four rounds: Three last week, one this week. I'm playing well. I'm scoring well. I'm not doing anything stupid. I'm taking my chances here and there. So, yeah, I probably struck the ball better at certain spots during the year but in terms of playing and scoring, yeah.

Q. It sounds like you're geared up for this tournament?

JUSTIN ROSE: This is a huge tournament and it is one I have been looking forward to for months, really, along with the majors and the World Championships, this is one I would really like to play well in.

Q. You had at least one bogey-free round last week.

JUSTIN ROSE: I think I had two last week. It was the second day I had 68 and the last round. I had three bogeys last week all in all, so it wasn't too bad.

Q. Is patience something that you are doing better at this year?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I think I wasn't very patient up until now, this year. For whatever reason, I had a little bit of a short fuse out there, and that does get in the way of scoring. So that's something I have been trying to work on over the last few weeks.

Q. No thrown clubs today?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, Mickey seems to cower after every shot. (Laughter.) No, in all fairness to Mick, he gets on with the job which is fantastic. We don't hold grudges.

This is where he started caddying, from the age of 12, 13, whatever it might have been. He lives literally ten minutes down the road.

Q. Can you go through your card for us?

JUSTIN ROSE: I birdied the 4th, driver, 7-iron to the fringe there on the front and 2-putted -- well, putted up and 1-putted or whatever.

6, I got a little bit fortunate. I hit 4-iron off the tee and hit 8-iron, bounced on the right edge of the green and kicked in a little bit, 12, 15 feet and holed the putt there. That was nice.

I guess I failed to bogey 12, which is probably worth highlighting. That was a good birdie chance there.

Bounced back really with a good birdie at 13 with driver, 9-iron to four feet.

17, that tee shot always gets your heart pumping just a little bit, a couple of extra beats. Hit a solid 3-wood down the right side into the semi-rough and 3-wood to the right edge of the green and 2-putted.

Q. Do you think it's really long this year?

JUSTIN ROSE: Two 3-woods.

Q. Everybody has been saying, the wettest winter ever or something like that and that it would really be playing long.

JUSTIN ROSE: You know, the first hole is a driver, 3-iron. The third hole is a good driver, 4-iron. I think the key thing is if you miss the fairways on 1 and 3, you are really struggling to get to the green. I missed the fairway just left at the first and I couldn't reach the green. So that was a chip-and-putt. So it is long in terms of that.

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