Justin Rose has admitted he's been left 'baffled' by texts about Rory McIlroy's epic Masters win at Augusta last month, with the duo set to do battle again at the PGA Championship.
Rose missed out on glory in America via a tense play-off, having pushed his fellow Briton all the way.
The Englishman immediately showed class by hugging his opponent on the course, with McIlroy breaking down after finally completing the career Grand Slam.
Now, ahead of the PGA Championship, Rose has admitted he's been left 'baffled' by text messages about that emotional moment - while also revealing what he told his rival.
Justin Rose has admitted he's been left 'baffled' by texts about Rory McIlroy's epic Masters win at Augusta last month, with the duo set to do battle again at the PGA Championship
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“I have had as many, if not more, messages than after Merion [when he won the US Open in 2013] or Rio [when he won Olympic gold in 2016] and the overwhelming sentiment was congratulations rather than commiserations," he said.
“It is heartwarming, yeah, but, to be honest, I have been a bit baffled because I really didn’t feel I did anything special.
"I just gave a mate a hug on the 18th green and told him it was great to see how special it was for him and you know, just tried to sort of table my own disappointment. That’s all.
"Maybe there were some other bigger pictures at play.”
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He does admit, however, that he felt low after missing out on Masters glory - having previously come close in 2017.
“I wasn’t quite ready to go through all the messages straight away," he added.
"I started to on the Monday and Tuesday, because I wanted to say thanks.
“But then I was like, ‘I need a bit of my own time here to process it’. I worked through it and reached the stage where I didn’t feel too despondent.
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Justin Rose has admitted to feeling low after missing out on Masters glory to Rory McIlroy
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"I don’t really now see it as a loss on that Sunday, because I lost it on Saturday, when I turned a 69 into a 75.
“I think I played well enough to win. I mean, Rory played well enough to win a lot more comfortably than he did so everyone can say, ‘hey, I should’ve won, whatever’. But it’s like the level was there to win, which is important.”
Rose, when asked what victory would mean to McIlroy, continued: "How couldn't I?
“It’d been a storyline for a decade or more and I knew what it meant at large.”
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The 44-year-old is, however, delighted that his decision to stay has paid off - with the veteran in good form as he approaches the upcoming major this weekend.
Justin Rose will be gunning for PGA Championship glory this weekend
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“That was a primary factor and, hey, it’s almost paid off," he said when asked about chasing his dreams.
“I’ve finished runner-up in the last two majors and would I have even been playing if I’d switched across? Who knows? I have no regrets.”
