by How often does a modern professional golfer have a reason to hit a sawed-off 9-iron from 127 yards?
Sorry, that’s a rhetorical question. The answer is almost never, except when it’s Open week.
Early this morning (or late last night, if you’re in my time zone), just as a southerly breeze started to unsettle the flags at Royal Troon, Justin Rose sized up a short approach into the 376-yard third hole. When he pulled out a 9-iron, the announcers on the world feed expressed immediate surprise. It seemed like a lot of club, even into the wind. But Rose knew what he was doing: he gripped down and took a half swing; the ball landed 15 feet short of the pin, took one big hop, and stopped three feet from the hole. “And that is the great thing about links golf, isn’t it?” said one announcer. “There is no one way to do it.”
At 43 years old, Justin Rose doesn’t exactly light up the betting markets going into big tournaments. When he makes cuts, though, he tends to finish well. In the 2020s, Rose has notched five top 10s in majors—two more than Patrick Cantlay, for instance. The guy can still hit golf shots, and two-under is a comfy place to be after today’s round.
This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. For more coverage of the Open Championship, visit our Open hub.
