Profile / Bill Elliott / 04 October 2007 / Leave a Comment

Golf journalist Bill Elliott tells us why 2007 has been an important year in Justin Rose's career

The re-emergence of Justin Rose this year has been one of golf's more compelling and, for me anyway, heartwarming stories.

He remains very nearly as fresh-faced now as he was when I first met him as a 17 year-old hopeful kid who spent his summer days flogging away at North Hants Golf Club. Back then Justin was as polite and decent a young man as you could hope to meet. Now here he is, all of 27, and still the same. At least, mostly he is the same.

You don't realise it at the time but the 10 years between teenager and late twenties is just about the most significant decade of anyone's life. Okay, give them a child before he is seven and the Jesuits reckon they can him make him theirs for life, but stumbling through the years between boy/man and man/adult is what ultimately creates any of us really.

It is good that Justin has made this journey so well. Growing into a decent human being always will be far more important than developing as a golfer but the nice thing that I can report is that it appears to this jaundiced eye that he has managed both supremely well. It has not, however, been easy.

Always the gilded youth where this daft game is concerned he exploded into an eager public's consciousness when he finished fourth at Birkdale Open in 1998. He was rawer than the average piece of sushi back then but it was clear he had something special. What's more, he liked the limelight and grew, rather than shrank, in its glare.

No sooner did he hole his pitch shot to the final hole in Southport than he turned professional. He also turned 18 the following week. This, judged by any standards, is far too young. He didn't have to do it but he did and at least he had his father, Ken, along for the ride. It was a shock for both of them when he then missed 21 consecutive cuts on the European Tour. Ken, the nicest of committed parents, cruelly died far too early a few years ago after sparring with cancer.

For Justin, obviously, this was a huge loss. Not just a dad but a mentor and a guide through the jungle that is pro sport.

"It's been a trip since 1998, " he agreed. "It's had its moments when it's been tough. Missing all those cuts, losing my dad, just growing up really. It has toughened me up, made me appreciative of the good times. Taught me also that you've got to work hard, got to dedicate yourself. Dad's passing put a lot of things into perspective for me as did getting married last year. Golf is what I do, means a lot to me, it's what I am but it is not who I am."

It is also what he puts into his bank account. Already this season he has won over £2.5million in the USA and Europe. Factor in at least another million for sponsor deals and he has come a long way since he gave me a bagful of shots in 1998 and I fluked a birdie at the last hole to win the money. This was only a quid but an embarrassed Justin had to confess he had 26p on him at the time.

Now he can look at the £200,000 that separates him from Padraig Harrington in the battle to become European No.1 this year and knows he can make up this shortfall in a heartbeat. With a £400,000 first prize on offer this week at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Fife, Rose is feeling jaunty at present.

"Golf-wise I have to keep getting just that little bit better. It's a very fine line. What we're dealing with here is that last one per cent that can make the difference between real major success and just a very decent career. But obviously I'm happy with what I've done so far in 2007. Mentally I'm much stronger and so I've surpassed the goals I set myself and now I want to move forward again. I won't be trying to reinvent the wheel for 2008 that's for sure. But I would like to go into next year as the reigning No.1 in Europe. That would be seriously cool."

By the way...two years after our match in 1998 I bumped into Justin at a Challenge Tour event. He smiled shyly, reached into his pocket and handed over £1. "Sorry it took so long, " he grinned.

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