Why A Flying Start Is Key For Justin Rose's Masters Chances

You can't judge a season from just one round, but Justin Rose starting the year quickly could be a good sign for him in his search for a second Major.

At 45 Rose is no spring chicken, but he's shown he still has more than enough in his game to add to his 2013 US Open title - as he showed by running Rory McIlroy close in that epic Masters playoff last year.

Rose made his 2026 debut at Torrey Pines and made it in style with a flawless 10-under round of 62 giving him the first-round lead at the Farmers Insurance Open.

A good finish in San Diego would not only be a fine way to start the year for Rose, but also a good omen for the Majors, especially The Masters, as there's a pattern behind his best finishes at Augusta National.

It's not exactly rocket science to work out that the players in solid form at the start of the year will go well in the opening Major of the season - and that's certainly the case with Rose.

As the Englishman has seven top 10s at The Masters and before six of those he started his year by recording at least one top-six finish in the events leading up to Augusta.

Rose has had a top-three finish five times before going on to land in the top 10 at The Masters - including in both 2017 and 2025 when he lost in playoffs against Sergio Garcia and McIlroy.

There are plenty of missed cuts in there as can be the case early in the year, but if Rose starts well he usually goes on to contend - and if he does that a few times in the opening three months then watch out for him at Augusta.

Rose had a T3 and T8 before almost ruining McIlroy's Grand Slam dream last year, but that was far from a one-off.

In 2017 Rose finished second, T4 twice and another couple of top 15s before being edged out by Garcia, while even in the Covid times ahead of the 2021 Masters he still managed a T2 out in Saudi Arabia in the build-up.

The T10 in 2016 came after four solid tournaments and even way back in 2007 the trend was set with a third and T5 before also bagging a big T5 in just his third trip to Augusta.

Rose won WGC-Cadillac Championship in 2012 and had a T5 at The Honda Classic before finishing T8 at Augusta, proving again that when he finds form early in the year he'll head down Magnolia Lane full of confidence.

Rose is a momentum player, and even though 2015 is the anomaly of the group it may be that his timing was just off, as although there was no great form before his Masters T2 he won his very next PGA Tour start and lost out in a playoff just two starts later.

So if Rose starts to string together some decent finishes at the start of the year then watch out for him making another charge at The Masters.

Rose's early form before Masters top 10s