BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

September 9, 2025

Justin Rose

Wentworth Golf Club

Press Conference

TOM CARLISLE: Good afternoon, we are joined at the BMW PGA Championship Wentworth by Justin Rose.

This week marks a particularly special one. This is your 20th BMW PGA Championship. How much does that speak to your longevity and love for the game at this stage of your career?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, it's great. It's nice when you lose count. Obviously 20 is a decent number. I think of guys' careers, and to sort of stay able, fit, willing and able for that long is sometimes impressive.

Yeah, time flies. I guess time flies when you're having fun. That's probably the most important thing is I'm still very much enjoying my game, my golf and the opportunity to keep getting better and pushing to get better. I think I'm still playing not just to rack up numbers and rack up sticking around for as long as I can, and but be competitive and challenge, I'm enjoying that right now.

TOM CARLISLE: The draw is out for the first two rounds, playing with defending champion Billy Horschel and FedExCup winner Tommy Fleetwood, as well. How much are you looking forward to that?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, great. Billy always turns up to play the DP World Tour with great enthusiasm. Great to see him back after a setback this year and injury and surgery. He's looking in good spirits. Always good to see a fellow competitor bounce back through something like that.

And yeah, of course, always have fun with Tommy. He's a great guy to play with. It will be a very comfortable pairing. Delighted for him, as we all know, getting that win he's been searching for on the PGA TOUR and always felt like it was going to be a big one when he broke through. I feel like this was a big win for him, given what a great player he is.

Q. You're 45 years old now and you're up to 12th in the world which is your highest ranking in over five years. I wonder what it is that has enabled you to stay at the very top of the game so long. Is it mental? Physical? A combination?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, there are so many factors to this game. I don't think you can compete at the highest level of the game without having most of them intact, whether that's your long game, short putt, mental side, physical side. The guys are so good, and I've seen the guys at that get better honestly every single year for the last number of years.

The level of consistency that some players are playing at is phenomenal. So it's hard, for sure. Yeah, I think all areas of my game have probably been taken care of and been a priority for me in some ways.

But f course, I think as you get older, you get access to your body -- it's all very well -- the skills are sort of there, but the access to them becomes harder, if that makes any sense. You've got to fight a little bit harder on the diligence side of things.

You've got to be -- I feel like (I'm) even more disciplined now, fortunately, than I was when I was younger. I'd love to be indulging in a few more fun activities at this point in my life but I feel like I'm having to be even more focused, and that needs to be underpinned by love for the game. If you don't love the game, it becomes work and it still doesn't feel like work. I think that's how I'm able to keep doing the requisite work that's required to keep being able to compete. You need that little bit of belief, I guess. I've had that in fits and starts over the last couple years, Rome in 2023, I felt like I could step up on the big stage and play. I feel like Troon was important, and Masters, was in a playoff but I felt like there was a lot of good to take out of that. So hasn't been enough winning regularly and keep believing the work is worth it.

Q. Sorry to dwell on this, but the fact that you made the Ryder Cup Team qualifying automatically, the competition as strong as it is, does that cause a special sort of pride?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I think it's definitely a priority to qualify for the priority. I didn't really put a lot of pressure on myself to do so. I felt like that given the shape of the team last year and the fact that we're playing away, I felt like experience was going to an important part of the team. But I felt like I had to be playing well, and that's what I had to show the captain.

I focused on that, but of course, to make the team, I felt like the dynamic of making the team is different now with only six making the team and six being picked, and there's less emphasis on making the team, and it's more just a bit of pride. Like you say, half the team is being picked now and half the team isn't.

From my point of view, I would tend to look at that as less pressure to make the team. Back in the day, it was 10 and 2, and I felt like when there are two wild cards, you felt like it was the 10 that made it, the two were getting a little favour. It's changed a little bit but now in terms of pride for making it, sure.

Q. Is there a time you feel you've been playing as well as this in the buildup to the Ryder Cup?

JUSTIN ROSE: I can't really remember the buildups, really in the past but I would have been playing well going into 2012 and I would have been playing well going into 2014. As I said, the two Ryder Cups away where my game has been in shape, and maybe in 2016 I was playing solid golf as well. And back in 2018, won the FedExCup and all of that.

I had a pretty good run from 2010 to 2018 with my golf. It did tend to step up through the years and I would tick off all the things I wanted to achieve. I feel like all the Ryder Cups come sequentially in there. I can't remember specifics in terms of exactly how I was playing.

But I was a little apprehensive before Rome a little bit. I hadn't played in the Ryder Cup for five years. Game is okay but you know, I feel like it's more comfortable this time around going into an away match.

Q. It's obviously a fact that you, Rory and Tommy are very popular in America. Are you able to explain -- we know that. We don't need to say what happened, but what I would like you to try and explain, if you would, why do you think that is? Why is it that the three of you is attractive to the Americans that you get support over there?

JUSTIN ROSE: I don't know exactly. I feel like me and Tommy and Rory are all quite different in terms of our approaches. Rory has that style with his golf game and exciting to watch and plays with a breath of fresh air, the way he hits the ball, the way he gets on with it and how he competes, challenging, being a Grand Slam winner. He's kind of like a superstar status.

Tommy has that special, likable nature to him and engages with the crowd. He's got that really -- a bit cheeky, at times. He's just who he is. He's so authentic, I guess, and people -- me, I just appreciate the fact that I'm still doing it and just keep my head down, and yeah, just keep grafting at it, I suppose. Each of us, for different reasons, I think.

I can't really speak to myself too much. I think people admire the fact I try to do the right things. I work hard. Listen, I'm not perfect, there's no doubt. I come across as even good-tempered out there for the most part, but it's always bubbling away underneath. And that's what's kept me going as well is that passion and I expect a lot of myself, but keeping that at bay as best I can has helped me to grow over the years. Like I said, I don't know why.

Q. What we've been talking about here is indicative of what's happening here, a big event, but we're all talking about the Ryder Cup, as well. So how do you approach this event bearing in mind that next week, across to America, and then the week after you have the event everybody is talking about. In these few weeks, everybody will be talking about the Ryder Cup.

JUSTIN ROSE: I think that's the nature of the Ryder Cup and what makes the Ryder Cup so special is that is does transcend golf a little bit. It becomes a global sporting event and I think rightly so that it's talked about that way for the buildup. It's once every two years, as we all know and there's anticipation for it.

Even for me as a player, it's a month-long process. The moment I got picked at Rome, okay, it's Ryder Cup week. I said before, every meal, every workout, every practise session, I had the Ryder Cup in mind.

I would say that's similar now, but obviously this event does command your attention. Especially this tournament for me is a bucket list tournament; it's a tournament I would dearly love to win. So it does take my focus, and I think it is important because there's going to be a lot of things this week that you need to sort of iron out or to feel or to experience that will help at Bethpage.

Of course, we don't know exactly the environment at Bethpage other than it's going to be something we've never faced before and so it's hard to prepare for that. Like I said this is the last chance to put a scorecard in hand and prepare and go through the sort of mental checklists that make you feel more comfortable in a heat competition. This is a very important tournament, but at the same time, it's the BMW PGA Championship that I'd love dearly to win.

It's a bit of a double-edged sword. It depends how it goes, honestly. Once you get into contention, it's all about this week. You're not in contention, it's all about two weeks' time. As soon as you get a sniff to win this, that's how you frame that, I guess. You're not thinking too far down the road.

Q. What's the most fun activity as a 45-year-old?

JUSTIN ROSE: Wouldn't you like to know. (Laughter) I do like to have a catch up with my mates. Still like to have too many drinks, once in a while. You have to let your hair down.

Q. It's been well-documented the role you played with Bob going into the weekend. How different a player is Bob going to be going into this match?

JUSTIN ROSE: I think Bob is a totally different player coming into this. I think he's one of the players we'll look to and lean on to take it to the American team. I think he's playing really, really well. What I love about Bob is that when it gets tough, he seems to get better. We saw that at the U.S. Open again this year. He had a great week all week but suddenly got himself into contention with about three or four holes to go, through his good play and through bogeys elsewhere. Suddenly I thought the quality of golf shots he hit on 16, 17, 18, for example, were world class.

He seems to have that ability for the big occasions. That's what we know about him, and or was known, going into Rome. But in Rome, he stepped up when needed, absolutely. He grew in confidence and he grew in comfort as that week went on.

I think as we've seen, he's become -- I think statistically, he's become a better golfer as well. He looks to me like he drives the ball really well now and his short game, and especially his putting, seems spot on.

Driving and putting match play is always a hard combination because you're always in the hole. Because you're playing against a good putter, it's always challenging in match play.

Q. You mentioned earlier on the experience of playing an away Ryder Cup. How do you deal with a less than welcoming crowd and how do you stay calm in such an environment?

JUSTIN ROSE: I think we don't do it enough to really know how to do it. You just have to do it. I think that's where we're going to be at mentally to make bit of a commitment for being able to bounce back, so to speak and to John's point, realise it's not personal. They are out there to help their team win and that is the beauty of the Ryder Cup.

Most golf fans come to golf to, one, have a few drinks, it seems, these days. But they come to watch and watch their favourite players, and they observe everybody else, as well. So they are sort of not necessarily there -- they can't really influence the outcome, per se. Whereas, collectively, they feel like, we can influence the outcome of this event and that's our job, and fair play. That's what it's all about them. It's us versus them, red versus blue, a classic sporting clash, so how much do you enjoy that.

Q. For both sides, when you're in Europe, do you enjoy that, that sort of tribalism?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, Ryder Cup is the most enjoyable experience I've ever had in golf, I believe, and the thrill of winning it as a team is the most fun I've ever had on a golf course for sure, 100 per cent. It's not nice out there if you've been targeted, but it gives you that sort of inner grit, and it's a great thing when you come out on top in those environments. That's the motivation and that's obviously the job ahead of us.

Q. Did you want Keegan to pick himself to play? Did you think that was going to be the European advantage like a lot of people kind of suggested?

JUSTIN ROSE: I don't know. Obviously he's seventh in the world, I think. He's a great player. He's playing unbelievable golf. Again at the PLAYERS Championship, he shot under par and beat most of us.

I just felt the interesting dynamic was to win the Ryder Cup, you need to win 14 1/2 points. I felt like if he picked himself, he needed to put points on the board. But obviously he's backing himself to be a good leader because he's inspiring his team to get 14 1/2 points. That was the only way I looked at it was, okay, can I put three points on the board? That's the best way to win the Ryder Cup.

But it's good to see that he's backing himself to be the inspirational leader that can inspire his team to do that. Yeah, he obviously left it late, and I think he put himself in that predicament by playing such good golf. He was clearly considering it because he left it late. But it would have been fair play either way in my mind. Because obviously you do have to back yourself. If you do pick yourself, there's a lot of scrutiny, on him too.

Yeah, I guess he's willing to sacrifice himself to be the ultimate kind of inspirer.

Q. 11 of the 12 at Rome will be at Bethpage. A football team, you stick together for a few years. How much does that give Europe an advantage? And secondly, you're only a couple years younger than Luke. Are you now looking at what Luke is doing now, potentially, as if the question is asked of you: Do you want to be captain?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, the fact that 11 of 12 of us, pretty much of us the same team. I would say 11 and a half of us are the same. Obviously we'll miss Nicolai but a friendly face in Rasmus and obviously Rasmus was in there in Rome driving the buggy, definitely shadowing, being a part of the future teams. I think always felt he would be a future Ryder Cup player. It felt very natural that he's in the team. Obviously it will be cool to see the brothers playing together in a team. But amazing that they both had their opportunity. So welcome Rasmus to the team, for sure.

I think having experienced team going into an away Ryder Cup is very, very important, having to deal with four or five rookies in that environment is a huge benefit. Saying that, a home Ryder Cup is incredibly different than an away Ryder Cup, which in some sense it will feel like a first Ryder Cup again for them. But that can be a good thing, like I said.

You'd love to be in the last Ryder Cups to be an experienced voice of reason, but at the same time, I don't want to put my spin on it because these youngsters are coming out with their own outlook on things and they are not bogged down by preconceived ideas. I just let them do their best and let them crack on because that's what's gotten them to this point.

Yeah, I've got no concerns in terms of, I love the makeup of the team from that point of view. A little bit of experience is great but experience for the first time is inspiring, as well, so I think we are in good shape.

Yeah, Luke has done a phenomenal job. It is interesting for a captain to be a peer. I think obviously when I played my previous Ryder Cups, I always looked up to the captains as players I played with and alongside but never really been a peer of mine, whereas Luke is. I think because of that, I pay more attention to the process and what he's been going through and how diligent he's been and how time consuming it is and what a phenomenal job he's done, not just the weeks of the tournament but the continual kind of consistent messaging and mindset he's created throughout the team.

So yeah, and then as that relates to me, yeah, for sure, the question does get asked and I do start to think about it. I'm not sure there's ever a perfect time to be a Ryder Cup Captain. Because one, it's a little bit too early for you and you sacrifice your own golf, or unless, Keegan, you do it like Keegan. Or then you leave it to late, you feel like you're hanging around and traveling more than you want to be at that point in your career. So I don't think there's a perfect time to do it. Should the question get asked, I'll obviously do my very best to consider it and make the right decision.

At this point, it's exciting, and I don't know if it's wishful thinking, but yeah, I do believe I can kind of keep going, as well. When you're in a Ryder Cup, it doesn't seem that far away. You kind of believe you can still keep going to do another one. Lots to unpack there, I guess.

But point is, Luke's done an amazing job, and because I paid more attention and I realise what a big job it is, so if you do say yes, you've got to be ready for it.

TOM CARLISLE: Thanks very much for your time.