Justin Rose wins Quicken Loans National

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 30 June 2014

England’s Justin Rose defeated Shawn Stefani of the USA at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Quicken Loans National at Congressional Country Club in Maryland.

England’s Justin Rose defeated Shawn Stefani of the USA at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Quicken Loans National at Congressional Country Club in Maryland.

Rose looked to have lost his chance of victory when he found the water with his approach to the 72nd hole. He holed a 15-foot putt for a bogey at the last, but it left him one shot behind Shawn Stefani.

But the American bogeyed his penultimate hole and was unable to find a birdie at the last. He joined Rose on a four-round total of 280. Nobody else could match that number so a playoff for the title between Rose and Stefani ensued.

On the first playoff hole, the 18th at Congressional, Stefani made the same error Rose had in regulation play. After taking a line-of-sight drop from the grandstands, he turned his punched approach shot too much and it found the water.

Rose played the hole in regulation, finding the fairway then the middle of the green. He had a comfortable two-putt for par and the victory. It was his first PGA Tour win since the U.S. Open of 2013 on a course that hosted that Major championship back in 2011.

“I really enjoy this type of golf and this type of test,” said Rose. “I think it tested all of us. I’m delighted.”

Patrick Reed started the final round with a two-stroke lead and maintained that advantage to the turn. But he fell apart on the back nine, coming home in 41 for a 77.

No fewer than seven players had a lead or share of the lead during the final round. Brendon Todd was there until a double bogey at the 10th and the names of Marc Leishman of Australia and Brendan Steele of the USA also appeared at the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.

There was consolation for Steele who lost his chance at Congressional with a double-bogey on the 72nd hole. He, together with Stefani, Charley Hoffman and Ben Martin claimed qualifying spots for the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Quicken Loans National Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Maryland Jun 26-29, purse $6,500,000, par 71

1 Justin Rose (Eng) 74 65 71 70 280 $1,170,000 2 Shawn Stefani (USA) 74 68 68 70 280 $702,000 T3 Charley Hoffman (USA) 72 72 68 69 281 $377,000 T3 Ben Martin (USA) 72 68 70 71 281 $377,000 T5 Andres Romero (Arg) 70 72 72 68 282 $237,250 T5 Brendan Steele (USA) 74 66 71 71 282 $237,250 T5 Brendon Todd (USA) 72 70 69 71 282 $237,250 T8 Brendon de Jonge (Zim) 71 68 71 73 283 $188,500 T8 Billy Hurley III (USA) 69 73 70 71 283 $188,500 T8 Marc Leishman (Aus) 70 66 73 74 283 $188,500

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

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Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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