Justin Rose showed his growing class as not just an elite player but a perennial major championship contender as he cruised imperiously to victory in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen.
The 33-year-old former US Open champion shot a final round 65, built largely on a brilliant front nine of 31 when he effectively ended what had promised to be tight contest, to complete back-to-back victories in his last two events.
Rose won the Quicken Loans National Tiger Woods’s tournament on the US Tour just two weeks ago, his first win since his major victory at Merion a year past June.
Long based on the US Tour, yesterday was his first win in Europe since 2007, and he now will attempt an unprecedented three wins in a row on native soil at Hoylake in this week’s Open Championship.
However, he was primarily concerned with the trophy and the £500,000 winner’s cheque he carried off in the late afternoon sunshine at Balgownie yesterday, after he took advantage of perfect conditions and some initial hesitancy among his challengers to pull away to a decisive win.
His final round six-under-par 65 completed a 16-under total of 268, two shots clear of the young Swede Kristoffer Broberg, who finished with a 66 to push Scottish hope Marc Warren into third, three shots further back on 11-under.
Broberg’s consolation was one of the last three places into the Open Championship this week, and he was joined by young Englishman Tyrrell Hatton and by Scotland’s Scott Jamieson, both of whom finished inside the top 10.
But the champion looked like the class of the event almost from the off, and he admitted as the week had gone on he’d looked at the Scottish as far more than just a warm-up for next week.
“It’s such a special place to play in Scotland, the crowds are so knowledgeable and supportive,” he said. “They were fantastic today and the next time I will be in Scotland will be for the Ryder Cup, so hopefully they’ll be loud and proud then as well.”
Rose really ended the last day as a contest inside the first six holes, picking up four birdies to claim a lead he was never to lose and was barely challenged.
“To be honest I felt a little shaky over the first two holes and my putter got me out of trouble,” he said. “After the birdie on two I settled down and played some nice stuff, and I got a couple of big bonus putts along the way.”
Holing outside playing partner Warren on three occasions on the front nine, Rose was out in five-under, four ahead of the Scot who was striking the ball as well as ever, but running dry on the greens.
Broberg birdied three on the front nine to stay within three of the leader and eventually assumed second place as he picked up three more birdies on the back nine, but Rose always had him and Warren at arms’ length after his impressive opening salvo.
The Scot had been hoping to challenge again as he did before a late collapse two years ago, but he admitted afterwards that he found himself “watching a masterclass”.
“I said to my caddie coming down 17 that he’d been clinical,” said Warren. “I think he made two poor swings that were just a fraction off on the back nine and he put them to rights with a couple of great bunker shots.
“My ball-striking was just as good as ever today as it has been this week but the putter went cold on me on the front nine, and I wasn’t seeing the lines for some reason.”
Still, Warren finished strongly for his 70 and goes to Hoylake in the best shape he’s been for over a year.
“It’s going to be a very similar make-up next week, and the confidence is high, I’m really comfortable with what I’m doing.
“I don’t need to find anything down there. Just get a good look at the golf course and hopefully we’ll have a week similar to this.”
Broberg will play in his first major championship as a result of his second place and best career cheque of £332,000.
“I think it’s going to be very, very important for my game,” he said. “I just love to be out there and love to play in the lead. I’m just so glad to be in the Open for the first time.”
Defending champion Phil Mickelson closed with a 65 to finish just outside the top 10, but feels he’s edging to where he wants to be as he takes the Claret Jug back to Hoylake and hands it over to the R&A.
“I don’t feel quite as good as I did last year,” he admitted. “But I feel a lot sharper than I did last week.
“I would have loved to have a higher finish here, but it was still a very good week for me. It’s a great way to get ready for an Open Championship, now that we’re playing great links courses like Royal Aberdeen, Castle Stuart, and now Gullane next year.
“I feel like I have direction in my ball striking, short game and putting, and while the first couple of days were very tiring, today, with the benign conditions, it wasn’t draining mentally or physically.”
“It’s special going to Hoylake now. I’m just going to savour it and enjoy it.”
Rory McIlroy’s final round 67 left him at seven-under for the tournament exactly where he was after the first round, when he set the pace with his opening 64.
“I’ve played three good rounds this week, it’s just that fourth one that I need to sort out, and going into next week that’s what I’ll be trying to do,” he said.