Justin Rose admitted it was a “chance that got away” after once again falling short at Augusta National, where the 45-year-old Englishman led by two shots during the final round.
Rose birdied four of five holes to reach the turn strongly but came unstuck around Amen Corner, carding back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12. A superb second shot into the 13th went unrewarded when he three-putted for par, and he signed for a two-under 70 to finish in a four-way tie for third on 10 under, two behind champion Rory McIlroy.
“I was really in control,” Rose said. “The mentality was to run through the finish line not just try and get it done. I was playing great, but just momentum shifted for me around the Amen Corner. Just a chance that got away obviously. I was by no means free and clear and was nowhere close to having the job done, but I was right in position.”
Rose singled out the three-putt at 13 as decisive. “Just maybe off the back of two bogeys that was the one moment where four there really settles things down and gets me right back in it,” he said. “It was kind of like a continuation of a lot momentum I felt. So that three putt was untimely for sure.”
He also praised the patrons: “The crowd was amazing to me all week long. They pulled for me all week long. I felt their encouragement and support. At the end it kind of goes a little flat. It’s more of a sympathy than anything… It was still nonetheless very beautiful, but another little stinger.”
Scottie Scheffler, winner in 2022 and 2024, finished alone in second on 11 under. The world No 1 followed a flawless Saturday 65 with a bogey-free 68 on Sunday to complete the rare feat of not dropping a shot all weekend at Augusta National. “The first two days I played what I felt was really solid on Thursday, and then Friday with the softer greens, that round really hurt, especially mistakes I made on the back nine,” he said. “But overall over the weekend I put up a good fight and proud of how I played. I did a lot of good stuff in order to give myself a chance and ultimately came up short.”
Tyrrell Hatton mounted an eye-catching charge from seven off the lead, holing out for eagle at the par-four seventh and then rattling off four straight birdies from the 13th. He could only par the final two holes but closed with a six-under 66 for a 10-under total and a share of third place. “I’m really happy with the round that I put together in the end. Obviously had a nice run on the back nine. Happy that I’ve kind of guaranteed a spot here for next year,” he said.
Hatton added a personal motivation for his late surge: “To be honest most of the back nine I just wanted to make birdies because my wife is due in six weeks and I was thinking about how it would be cool to come back next year and our little girl will be pretty much 11 months… It would be amazing to see her in a boiler suit [at the Par-3 tournament].”
What’s next: the PGA Tour moves to the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island, with the next major the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club from May 14-17.