Justin Rose Returns To World Number One Spot

Apr 08, 2019

Rose has overtaken Dustin Johnson and goes into Augusta as the World Number One

Justin Rose Returns To World Number One Spot

Ahead of the season’s first Major, Justin Rose has returned to the World Number One position.

The Englishman didn’t play at the Valero Texas Open but still overtook Dustin Johnson, who also didn’t play, due to the Official World Golf Ranking’s two-year average.

It means that Rose has now spent 13 weeks at the top of the OWGR, more than Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Bernhard Langer.

Rose heads into Augusta atop of the pile seeking his second Major title at a venue where he has had plenty of success.

Justin Rose reacts after being agonisingly close to a walk-off birdie to secure victory at the 2017 Masters. He would lose in a playoff to Sergio Garcia. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

He nearly won his first Green Jacket in 2017 but lost to Sergio Garcia in a playoff.

He was also runner-up to Jordan Spieth in 2015 and has recorded three other top 10s.

The 38-year-old also hasn’t missed the cut at The Masters this decade.

Related: 2019 Masters Betting Tips

Rose is one of the favourites for the Green Jacket this week and is boosted by the fact that caddie Mark ‘Fooch’ Fulcher is back on the bag after having heart surgery.

The World No.1 had teamed up with Henrik Stenson’s former caddie Gareth Lord whilst Fooch was out and found success with a victory at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Related: 2019 Masters TV Coverage

However, one thing going against him this week is that the World’s Number One player hasn’t won The Masters since 2002.

Tiger Woods was Number One in his 2002 and 2001 victories, and Fred Couples (1992) and Ian Woosnam (1991) were the only players to win the Green Jacket as World Number One.

Let’s hope Rose can buck that trend.

Expand 20 Things You Didn’t Know About Justin Rose