#justinrose

Justin Rose did not arrive at Augusta for a graceful veteran cameo. He arrived looking dangerous, and for a while on Sunday, the Masters bent his way. At 45, he played the kind of controlled, exact golf that makes Augusta feel nervous when an older contender starts pushing on history again.

That is what made this week hit so hard. Rose did not back into the story. He built it. He opened with rounds of 70, 69, and 69, then charged through the front nine on Sunday with birdies at 1, 5, 7, 8, and 9. By the turn, the lead felt real and the pressure felt heavier for everyone else.

Then Augusta reminded him how cruel it can be. Bogeys at 11 and 12 shifted the whole round, and the missed chance at 13 made the opening feel even smaller. He still fought, still stayed present, and still finished tied for third at 10 under.

The winner got the jacket, but one line lower on the leaderboard was where Sunday felt most human.

Justin Rose, Cameron Young, Tyrrell Hatton, and Russell Henley all finished at 10 under, yet none of them lived the same round. Rose briefly grabbed the lead and made Augusta feel unstable. Young carried real pressure into the biggest Sunday of his career. Hatton stayed aggressive enough to keep the board tense. Henley never made noise, but he kept the floor from dropping out.

That is what made this group so compelling. They shared a number, not a story.

Augusta has a cruel way of making the same finish feel completely different depending on how a player got there. One man looked heartbroken. One looked closer than ever. One looked newly comfortable on a course that used to feel awkward. One looked like he belonged in every hard major conversation from now on.

Justin Rose did not leave Augusta with the green jacket. He still made the Masters feel uncomfortably alive again.

That is what made his week so compelling. This was not a nostalgia run or a polite veteran cameo. Rose arrived with real form, played steady golf for four days, and charged hard enough on Sunday to take control of the tournament for a while. When he reached 12 under at the turn, Augusta felt his presence in full.

And that is why the ending lingered. The back nine did what Augusta always does when it senses a little vulnerability. Amen Corner changed the mood, a missed chance at 13 hurt, and the round slipped just enough to leave Rose tied for third at 10 under instead of something greater.

The winner got the green jacket, but one line lower on the leaderboard was where Sunday felt most complicated.

Justin Rose, Cameron Young, Tyrrell Hatton, and Russell Henley all finished at 10 under, yet nothing about that tie felt neat. Rose was carrying Augusta history and another late Sunday chance. Young was trying to prove he belongs in the hardest room in golf. Hatton looked like he had finally stopped fighting the course. Henley made quiet, disciplined golf feel dangerous.

That is what made this Masters finish so compelling. The same number held four completely different kinds of pressure. Rose charged early and reopened old memories. Young stayed in the fight without finding the one burst he needed. Hatton posted his score and made everyone behind him feel it. Henley briefly held the lead on his birthday and never looked out of place.

Farmers Insurance Open - second-round leaderboard

-17J Rose (Eng), -13 S Power (Ire), -11 M McGreevy (US), J Dahmen (US), -10 S-Woo Kim (Kor), -9 E Cole (US), R Hisatsune (Jpn), M McNealy (US), J Lower (US), S Theegala (US), M Thorbjornsen (US), D Walker (US)

READ MORE

Farmers Insurance Open - second-round leaderboard

-17J Rose (Eng), -13 S Power (Ire), -11 M McGreevy (US), J Dahmen (US), -10 S-Woo Kim (Kor), -9 E Cole (US), R Hisatsune (Jpn), M McNealy (US), J Lower (US), S Theegala (US), M Thorbjornsen (US), D Walker (US)

Full leaderboard

England's Justin Rose shot a seven-under-par 65 to extend his lead to four shots at the Farmers Insurance Open while returning Brooks Koepka made the cut in San Diego.

The 45-year-old, who leads Ireland's Seamus Power, sits on 17 under after breaking his own 36-hole record at the tournament.

Rose shot the round of the day on Friday at the more challenging South Course with an eagle, six birdies and just one bogey.

"I feel like in my career I've won on tough golf courses generally, so that's my M.O., I would say," said 2025 Masters runner-up Rose, who led by a shot after an opening-round 62.

"It's the kind of a place I enjoy. It's one of my favourite tournaments on Tour, just the whole area, the whole atmosphere, the whole vibe."

Meanwhile, Koepka continued his return to the PGA Tour with a second-round 68 to make the cut on three under.

Five-time major winner Koepka, who agreed a release from his LIV Golf contract at the end of 2025, struggled on the South Course on Thursday, shooting a round of 73.

But on the North Course he found his form in his first PGA Tour event in four years, sinking an eagle putt on the 17th.

"I think [Thursday] I was excited to play, nervous, and kind of didn't know what to expect, but today felt more normal, I guess," Koepka said.

"But yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong, I definitely still got antsy, but I guess maybe a little bit of nerves, just trying to figure it out and test - see where my game's at too, right? I feel like I'm playing really well. It's just been a long layoff."

#justinrose #FedExStJudeChampionship #FedExCup #FedExStJude #StJude #sports #SportsNews #news #LatestNews #dailynews #TNN