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Posted April 7, 2016, 7:02 pm
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Justin Rose 'delighted' with score in windy round

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    Justin Rose 'delighted' with score in windy round
    Photos description
    Justin Rose chips to No. 2 green during the first round of the Masters Tournament.

 

Justin Rose picked up where he left off.

After posting 14-under last year – good enough to win most Masters – the Eng­lish­man stayed hot Thurs­day with an opening round 69.

“To open in the 60s is always fantastic,” Rose said. “I’m delighted to shoot (69) with this wind, and I think it’s going to continue to blow this way for the next couple days. To get in a good round while we had it somewhat soft was very important.”

Rose made six birdies and did it with a new putting grip. A week before coming to Augusta National Golf Club, he adopted a claw grip for the first time in his career.

“It’s a big change for me,” Rose said. “The claw grip seems to be getting popular on tour, so I decided to adopt it during my off week. I kind of stumbled across it and it felt too good to deny. I second-
guessed it many times last week but kept coming back to it.”

Rose had 30 putts and one three-putt in his opening round.

“I’ve putted OK this year, but if I’m going to win the Masters I’ll have to putt great,” he said. “It’s a gamble, but I felt like I needed to do something to improve my putting. I need to do what it takes to win and not think about the safe move.”

Rose said his most difficult challenge Thursday was trusting in the wind.

“Visually I’m hitting a 6-iron from 170 yards, and that’s messing with your head,” Rose said. “A 6-iron is usually a 195-yard shot, but wind changes all of that. Today I had to trust the wind.”

Rose carded 34 on the first nine before an aggressive breeze picked up over his final nine holes. He closed with 35 that included birdies on Nos. 10, 13 and 15. He bogeyed Nos. 11 and 16.

“It’s going to be much harder to chase birdies down Friday and Saturday,” he said. “This wind is tough and it looks like it’ll be challenging again (Friday).”

Hole By Hole Scores
Round 1
Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTot
Par454343454364435453443672
Rnd363343453343534444443569
Tot-10-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-2-3-2-2-3-3-4-3-3-3-3-3
 

 

Masters Record

YearPlaceScoreRoundMoney
1234
2015T2-1467706770$ 880,000
2014T14+176706974$ 148,500
2013T25+270717574$ 56,040
2012T8-472727268$ 232,000
2011T11-573717168$ 176,000
2009T20-274707171$ 71,400
2008T36+768787376$ 36,875
2007T5+469757573$ 275,500
2004T22+267718171$ 70,200
2003T39+973767177$ 27,000