FedExCup update: Justin Rose continues to make late-season move

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. – Justin Rose’s dedication to the details is one reason for his continued success at age 44. He’s the second-oldest participant in the FedExCup Playoffs thanks to two top-10s in majors this year, including a runner-up in last month’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.

The extra effort is necessary to remain competitive against players two decades younger than him, but he finally let himself relax a bit after his success at Royal Troon. There was a birthday celebration (he turned 44 on July 30), a Justin Timberlake concert in Belgium and a visit with friends in Portugal.

“This year has felt like a bit of a grind; all my weeks off have been quite hard-working,” Rose said after his first-round 66 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. “So the last couple weeks I was back in the UK. It was my birthday. Took a little time just slightly away from the game.”

He played nine holes twice during that downtime, then returned last week at the Wyndham Championship to get some competitive reps before the start of the Playoffs. He missed the cut by one last week, but those two rounds served their purpose while also allowing him to miss a marathon, 36-hole Sunday after the Wyndham was delayed by Tropical Storm Debbie.

“Coming from the UK, I think last week was important to get going for this week,” said Rose. He needs a good week after arriving in Tennessee ranked 55th in the FedExCup. He got off to a good start Thursday, and is projected to move to 37th in the standings. He is two shots behind leader Chris Kirk.

Rose was bogey-free as his short game shone. Playing in the day’s first group, he got up-and-down all six times he missed the green, gaining more than a stroke around the greens. He also missed just four fairways Thursday, which is especially important around TPC Southwind.

The top 50 in the FedExCup will advance to next week’s BMW Championship, with 30 making it to the finale of the FedExCup season, the TOUR Championship. Rose won the FedExCup in 2018.

His FedExCup hopes would be over if not for his decision to compete in a 36-hole qualifier for this year’s Open Championship. Most former world No. 1s with more than $75 million in career earnings would sit on the sidelines during a major they were not exempt for, but Rose decided to play two rounds in one day alongside the 1,681st and 932nd-ranked players in the world. He was rewarded for his effort, qualifying for The Open and posting his best major finish since his runner-up finish in the 2017 Masters.

Rose’s runner-up at Royal Troon jumped him from 76th to 52nd in the FedExCup. It was just his second top-10 of the year, the other being a T6 in the PGA Championship at Valhalla. “Valhalla was cool,” he said. “Felt like playing on a big golf course in low scoring conditions and … my game showing signs of competing with the best players in the world was obviously still important for me to see.”

Rose had missed the cut in four of five starts entering The Open, and the only exception was the Travelers Championship, where he beat just one player in that no-cut event. Still, he was optimistic about the direction of his game.

“All year long I've been saying that I've been putting in some good work,” Rose said. “I've been seeing signs on the range. I've been seeing signs in practice that I feel like there's moments where I feel like I'm as good a player as I've ever been, and obviously haven't seen that much in results this year.”

Those positive signs included an improved short game, increased clubhead speed and a body that’s “moving better than it has for a couple of years.”

“I'm trying to tick as many boxes as I can,” he said. A trip to the BMW Championship could be next on his list.

Big movers

Rose’s playing partner in the day’s first group was Ben Griffin, who arrived at TPC Southwind ranked 56th in the FedExCup. He matched Rose’s 66 and is projected to move from 56th to 38th in the standings. Griffin was 5-under par through 11 holes before making a double at the par-3 14th, where he hit his tee shot into the water. He birdied the next two holes before a bogey on 18.

Griffin is coming off a T7 finish at last week’s Wyndham Championship that bumped him up five spots in the FedExCup standings. He said he’s still sore from Sunday’s two-plus rounds, though.

“I feel like my body isn't quite where I want it. But nonetheless it was a good round. I feel like I swung it pretty well. I didn't really go into this round feeling super sharp about my game and my body. I just felt like I wasn't moving quite as well as I wanted to. Nonetheless, I did a great job.” … Chris Kirk is a Georgia alum who once lived in Atlanta. He’s been there just once for work, however. That was a decade ago, when he won the second FedExCup Playoffs event to earn his way to East Lake. Kirk is projected to clinch another trip to East Lake after taking the first-round lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. His 6-under 64 included an ace at the par-3 14th.

Taylor Pendrith keeps moving his way up the FedExCup standings with consecutive top-five finishes in his last two starts, at the Barracuda Championship and 3M Open. He’s now projected to jump from 27th to ninth in the FedExCup standings after another strong round, a first-round 65 at TPC Southwind that has him one shot off the lead. The FedExCup Playoffs have double significance for him, as he’s also trying to earn his way to the Presidents Cup in his native Canada.

Projected in

Justin Rose (No. 55, projected to No. 37): Off in the first group with Griffin, the pair vaulted themselves into the top 50 with dueling 4-under 66s. The Englishman finished his round with three birdies in the final four holes and has built a platform to move on to Castle Pines. He has two top 10s this season in majors so is built for the big occasion.

Ben Griffin (No. 56, projected to No. 38): His round was nearly derailed by a double bogey at the long and treacherous par-3 14th, but he bounced back well with back-to-back birdies to erase the mistake. With one runner-up finish and four top-10s this season he’s making a run into the Playoffs.

Harris English (No. 51, projected to No. 44): With just three missed cuts this season, English has had a steady season so far. But with only two top-10 finishes he’s looking towards the top of the leaderboard this week to make it inside the bubble. He tallied five birdies with three bogeys in the first round to sit T18 and with an earlier tee time Friday is in a position to go low.

Nick Taylor (No. 52, projected to No. 45): With a win early in the seasonm the Canadian will want to keep his FedExCup Playoffs hopes alive and earn valuable Presidents Cup points at the final qualifying event next week in Colorado. With a 2-under 68 in the first round, he’s heading in the right direction.

Projected out

Tom Kim (No. 43, projected to No. 51): In just his short professional career, the South Korean star knows how to make his way through the Playoffs, after winning in Greensboro to earn his first spot in the post-season in 2022. But Kim dropped five shots in the last seven holes at TPC Southwind to fall out of the top 50.

Mackenzie Hughes (No. 48, projected to No. 53): Another Canadian looking for a strong showing in the Playoffs to catch Mike Weir’s eye for Royal Montreal. Currently sits 15th on the International Team’s standings and is now projected outside of the top 50 bubble for the BMW Championship.

Max Greyserman (No. 47, projected to No. 54): The rookie came agonizingly close to winning in his last two events with back-to-back second-place finishes but struggled with big numbers in the first round at the FedEx St. Jude to shoot an opening round 5-over 75.

Jake Knapp (No. 50, projected to No. 57): The breakout star earlier this year after winning the Mexico Open at Vidanta, he made the turn Thursday at 2-over par but righted the ship on the back nine to finish at even for the day. But sitting as the last man in entering the FedEx St. Jude he needs to go low for the rest of the week to make it to the BMW Championship.

Bubble boy

Adam Scott (No. 46, projected to No. 50): Fought back from being over par early in his round at TPC Southwind to finish at even par after the first round. The Aussie veteran missed the Playoffs last year but is in with a chance to make it to the BMW Championship. Scott changed his irons this week in Memphis and feels a lot more in sync with his equipment and game.