'I Feel Excited About Where I'm At Aged 45' - Justin Rose Anticipating 'Golden Summer Of My Career' After FedEx St Jude Championship Win

Veteran pro, Justin Rose is anticipating a "golden summer of my career" in the coming years after claiming his 12th PGA Tour title at the FedEx St Jude Championship on Sunday.

Rose snuck down the rail to bypass good friend, Tommy Fleetwood and World No.1, Scottie Scheffler in the final round at TPC Southwind, later going on to defeat US Open winner, JJ Spaun on the third playoff hole in an inspirational display of defiance.

The man who recently celebrated his 45th birthday was seemingly out of the contest midway through the back nine before reeling off four consecutive birdies from the 14th hole to force extra holes.

After failing in his chance to lift the title in regulation, Rose recalibrated and overcame a potentially embarrassing moment near the water to battle past Spaun - a man he will face once again at the Ryder Cup next month.

Before the hotly-anticipated biennial contest, though, the new World No.9 - who is the oldest man in the top-10 by nine years - is aiming for a second FedEx Cup and to prove that those closing in on the PGA Tour Champions can still cut it loose with the kids.

Asked about the sense of pride he feels regarding his latest win in a professional career which has spanned 27 years, Rose said: "Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of sense of pride in that. I think I'm not alone in it.

"There have 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 [Mickelson] bucked the trend; he won a Major at 50. I feel like that's good motivation. I still feel like there is that golden summer of my career available to me. That's what I've been pushing for."

If recent results are taken into account, the former World No.1 is certainly justified in feeling like retirement remains a long way off yet.

Since a heart-warming effort to finish T2nd at The Open in 2024 after coming through Final Qualifying, Rose returned in 2025 with a T3rd at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, a T8th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a solo-sixth at the Genesis Scottish Open and a playoff defeat to Rory McIlroy at The Masters.

Although the FedEx St Jude Championship success was his first win since the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Rose insists his ability to contend at the world's biggest tournaments well into his 40s gives him the belief that more big titles remain a legitimate possibility.

He continued: "Moments like getting close at [Royal] 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."