Rose insists less is more

Rose: Light schedule

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Justin Rose will head into next month's Masters having played competitively just once in the month preceding the first major of the year, but insists he is more than comfortable with his schedule.

The world's top-ranked Briton will tee it up at the CA Championship this week, but that will be his final tournament outing before the trip to Augusta National.

But that is exactly the way Rose wants it, especially after he came so close to picking up the green jacket 12 months ago.

Then the world number seven had five weeks off before tying for fifth at the Masters and a further six weeks off afterwards - and that inactivity was enforced rather than planned with a back injury preventing him from competing.

However, that course of events led Rose to realise that less could indeed be more where major preparation is concerned.

"I'm planning this year around what worked last year," he stated. "Last year, I had two periods where I didn't play for six weeks and came out and played great."

Thus far this year Rose has played in only four tournaments, but he has improved on each occasion with top-15 finishes on his last two outings at the Honda Classic and the PODS Championship.

This week at Doral will see the Englishman lock horns with Tiger Woods in a stroke play event for the first time in 2008 and Rose is looking forward to the challenge.

"I've been getting better each week, really close to playing well," he added.

"It hasn't quite all gelled yet. I've struggled with the putter a little bit, probably because I haven't read the grain that well in Florida."