Justin Rose is still performing to an elite level despite the fact that he’s two months away from turning 46.
The Englishman’s work ethic is unrivalled by few, if any at all, and he clearly still has two or three big tournament wins in him.
Rose is desperate to add another major championship to the US Open that he won way back in 2013.
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And he has proven recently that he’s more than capable of doing that.
The 45-year-old came extremely close to winning The Open Championship in 2024 and The Masters in 2025, and he followed that up with a T-3 finish at Augusta National this year.
So with that in mind, it came as a real shock when Rose switched to McLaren irons two weeks ago at the Cadillac Championship.
Justin Rose’s risky McLaren decision could prove costly
Rose already has a win and a T-3 finish to his name this season.
However, since he switched to his McLaren irons two weeks ago, he has recorded T-65 and T-45 finishes.
During those tournaments, he ranked 46th and 42nd respectively in strokes gained approach.
For someone who has been such a premium iron player throughout his career, those stats are alarming to say the least.
Of course, it’s still very early days for Rose and his new irons.
However, the question remains: why on earth did he change in the first place, given his burning desire to win another major?
The good news for Rose is that his close friend, Ian Poulter, made the same move, and he has experienced a boost in his approach play.
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Poulter made the switch to McLaren irons at the same time as Rose.
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And the 50-year-old Englishman has noticed immediate improvements.
He ranked second in the field in strokes gained approach at LIV Golf Virginia last week.
Poulter gained a whopping 6.6 strokes on the field with his iron play.
So the McLaren irons are clearly working for him, and that means that the clubs themselves are certainly fit for purpose.
Justin Rose may need more time to get comfortable with his McLaren irons, and if he’s patient enough, he may well reap the rewards eventually.
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