Rose: Experience can help Europe ‘buck trend’ and claim Ryder Cup win

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Justin Rose believes Team Europe are in a ‘good position’ to ‘buck the trend’ of home dominance at the Ryder Cup and claim a famous away victory on American soil.

Rose will make a seventh Ryder Cup appearance after finishing as one of six automatic qualifiers for Luke Donald’s side, which will feature most of the team who won the 2023 contest in Rome.

Seven of the last eight Ryder Cups have been won by the home team, with the only exception in that period when Europe snatched the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ with a historic final-day comeback in 2012.

Rory McIlroy has previously described winning an away Ryder Cup as ‘one of the biggest accomplishments in golf’, with Rose hoping an experienced European team can impress and successfully retain the trophy at Bethpage Black – live from September 26-28 on Sky Sports Golf.

“From our point of view, that [this year] is a wonderful opportunity to try to sort of go ahead and buck that trend,” Rose exclusively told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. “I think the European team is in a good position.

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“I think the guys that are on the team are looking like being a very similar team to Rome. A lot of experience in there, which I think is what you need for an away Ryder Cup, then the form is looking quite good.

“For the most part, the guys have had really, really consistent seasons and I’m sure Luke’s got to be pretty happy about the way it’s all beginning to piece together.

“I don’t know if it [similar team] gives us a head start, but it definitely will feel consistent. It’ll feel comfortable. It’s going to feel very uncomfortable for us in New York and I think having that comfortable feeling within the team locker room could be really, really important.”

New role for Rose in experienced Europe?

Rose narrowly missed out on being a pick for Europe’s record-breaking defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021 but played a key role during the 2023 contest, forming an unbeaten partnership with Robert MacIntyre during the first two days at Marco Simone GC.

The Englishman ended with 1.5 points from his three matches during the 16.5-11.5 victory but would be open to featuring in more sessions in New York, where Europe are looking to register their fifth away Ryder Cup win in history.

“Just being a part of the Ryder Cup isn’t what you’re there for, you’re there to earn points,” Rose insisted. “You’re there to support the team. Hopefully the team can amass the amount of points to get the job done.

“I don’t know what my role will be, to be honest with you. This could be a very balanced team, a very experienced team, so there might be less requirements in terms of the rookies and things like that.

“Obviously, in an away Ryder Cup, we’re going to need a steady pair of hands all over. I think we’re going to all be looking to each other. There’s going to be a lot of solidarity required. So just leading by example, again, as best you can and obviously earning points.

“I think my game is probably in a better spot than it was in Rome. So there might be different requirements asked of me – I’m not sure. Last time I only played the two fourballs and the singles, so I’d like to get out a little bit more than that – if possible – this time around.”

Rose: My good golf is still good enough!

The former world No 1 was outside the world’s top 50 until he followed a tied-third finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February with a runner-up finish at The Masters, where he lost out to McIlroy in a dramatic play-off.

Rose then struggled for results over the coming months until claiming sixth at the Genesis Scottish Open, before confirming his Ryder Cup spot with PGA Tour victory at the FedEx St Jude Championship.

“It has been an interesting year!” Rose added. “I think that I’ve been saying for some time that I feel like my good golf is good enough to compete with the best players in the world.

“I saw that at Troon [2024 The Open, tied-second], I saw that at The Masters, but there’s nothing like getting over the line and actually winning a tournament to kind of really make you believe that that’s the case.

“I think I needed to see that for myself as well, just to really truly know that I was going 100 per cent in the right direction. Winning in a play-off, given what happened at The Masters, was extra special for me.

“When I really needed my game, it showed up for me in the biggest moments. I am working hard to keep my game as sharp as I can, but being in contention and those types of feelings, they’re hard to simulate. It’s nice to know that you still got it in those situations.”

Listen to the full Justin Rose interview on the latest edition of the Sky Sports Golf podcast, hosted every week by Jamie Weir. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Spreaker, while vodcast editions can be found on the Sky Sports Golf YouTube channel.

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