Justin Rose getting to know Royal Troon ahead of The Open
By Mike Patterson
Last Updated: 09/07/16 8:53pm
Justin Rose is hoping his Royal Troon "camp" this week will pay dividends when he tees off in The Open next Thursday.
The 35-year-old Englishman has spent the last few days at the Ayrshire links, getting to know the course with a number of practice rounds.
Rose, the 2013 US Open winner, was back at the course on Saturday morning and he told Sky Sports News HQ: "It's been nice to sort of camp out here this week and to really get to learn the golf course and know the golf course.
"I think a lot of players will be telling you it's a tale of two halves - it's a classic links course in the sense that it goes out one way and comes back the other.
"I've played it in a couple of different winds now which is really valuable. I've played it into the wind coming back in yesterday [Friday] and then downwind today, so it's amazing the difference.
"Yesterday I was hitting some three irons into some of the par fours and today I hit wedges, so I am learning the course in all weather conditions which is what The Open is all about."
World No 11 Rose, who bypassed this week's Scottish Open, has been hampered by injuries this season but is keen to finish the year strongly as he eases himself back to full fitness.
"I'm still trying to pace myself," he said. "I've been treating it as a semi-holiday and semi-work week so it's been good. I've just been enjoying playing some golf and getting some rest as well.
"[I'm] still trying to take care of my fitness, still getting back to 100 per cent and still pacing myself a little bit in terms of the time I am spending out here on the course with the amount of balls that I am hitting.
"But for the most part I think things are rounding back into form. I had a bit of time off pre-US Open so hopefully that will begin to translate into some mental freshness and give me a good chance to have a good finish to the year."
