Justin Rose spoke about Phil Mickelson after sealing a dramatic victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Sunday.
Mickelson is one of the most successful players in the history of the game, having won 45 times on the PGA Tour, including six major championships.
Meanwhile, Rose has an enviable résumé as well, with 12 PGA Tour titles and one major victory to his name.
His win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Sunday will live long in the memory, and it may well spur him on to even greater things.
Rose defeated J.J. Spaun in a playoff to win the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, and his victory will give him huge confidence as he heads into the twilight years of his career.
The four birdies in a row that he reeled off on his back nine on Sunday was evidence of just how good he is under pressure.
Rose was well-rested before the FedEx St Jude Championship even began, having played no practice rounds at TPC Southwind due to illness.
Now he has the blueprint for success as he heads into a five-year stretch ahead of his 50th birthday.
Justin Rose comments on Phil Mickelson after the FedEx St. Jude Championship
Rose was clearly ecstatic after winning his first PGA Tour title since February 2023.
His playoff win against Spaun highlighted that he is actually at his best when coming down the stretch with everything on the line.
Rose was asked if he takes pride in the longevity of his career.
He said: “Yeah, I mean, there’s a lot of sense of pride in that. I think I’m not alone in it. There’s been guys that have done it, but there’s a pretty short list of guys that are competitive in that 45 to 50 sort of age range. Historically it was a bit of a waiting room for the Champions Tour.
“Obviously Phil bucked the trend; he won a major at 51. I feel like that’s good motivation. I feel like — I still feel like there is that golden summer of my career available to me. That’s what I’ve been pushing for. Moments like getting close at Troon and then obviously getting close at Augusta, they’re signals that it’s possible. This is another really, really, really important signal that I’m on the right track with my game, and actually maybe even getting a little bit better at the moment.
“Will I ever be the best player that I was when I was maybe 2018 No. 1 in the world? I don’t know, but I don’t have to be I don’t think, as long as I can find it at the key times.
“Yeah, I’ve been able to do that — I’ve shown good signs, I think. But winning is winning. I think proving that to yourself, even though I’ve come close and I felt good in contention, getting over the line is still difficult, and obviously I’ve won, like, twice in six years now, but this one felt good.
“I felt like I had to hit the shots, I had to step up again and again and again in the playoff. I felt ready for it. I felt calm. I felt collected. I think that’s when you learn most about yourself. I feel excited about where I’m at at 45 and I feel like there’s a good bit of runway ahead.“
Rose could do a lot worse than being inspired by Mickelson.
While the six-time major champion has his fair share of critics, the fact that he has remained competitive well into his 50s proves just how good he is.
And now Rose could well go on to emulate the 45-time PGA Tour winner.
Phil Mickelson’s career record after 50 and why Justin Rose can match it
Rose has kept himself in tremendous shape, and there is no reason why he can’t emulate Mickelson by winning a major at some point in the next five or six years.
The now 55-year-old made history at the PGA Championship in 2021 when he became the oldest man to win a major at the age of 50.
He was just one month shy of his 51st birthday when he reigned supreme at Kiawah Island.
Mickelson also won four PGA Tour Champions events in a 15-month period after turning 50.
Rose proved that he still very much has what it takes to compete at the very highest level with his win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Now the only question that remains is whether he has what it takes to secure at least one more major championship win.
The Englishman will have his eye firmly on the 2026 Masters, after his near miss at Augusta National this year, and his game is more than good enough to get the job done.
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