Sunday 29 May 2016 16:44, UK
Justin Rose is confident he will be 100 percent ready for the US Open next month as he continues to recover from a back injury.
Rose was forced to pull out of this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and he admitted he is still unable to do anything more than hit wedges and practice his short game, but he is being careful not to rush back into action.
The Englishman vowed to work on returning to full fitness ahead of the second major of the year, and he believes the "brute" of a golf course at Oakmont will be well suited to his game.
"I want to be 100 percent fit, ready and focused for the US Open," he told Sky Sports at Wentworth. "I'll continue to work on my rehab around the clock and try to do all the right things to be fit for Oakmont.
"I hit a couple of wedges towards the end of the week just to try and gauge where I was, and that was encouraging. I'm able to get back into my golf posture, but the important thing is for me to build the armour around my back again and make sure the core is 100 percent stable and ready to deal with the speed of hitting drivers full out.
"Every day I'm making progress and, although it's important not to rush these things, I'm upbeat and positive.
"Oakmont is exactly the type of golf course I love to play, it's a classic, it's tough and it's got a reputation for being a real brute of a golf course and I relish that. All being well, my preparations are going to be extensive and I'm really going to get to know that golf course as I did before I won at Merion.
"I spent two or three days really trying to figure out the course at Merion and put a great game plan together and Oakmont will be no different."
Rose also expressed his disappointment at having to miss the European Tour's flagship event this week, particularly as he has a very good record over the West Course.
"Being here just makes it hit home that much more," he added. "Wentworth is one of my favourite venues on the European Tour, and more so because it's where I grew up, so I regard it as my home tournament. I've been second here twice, so this event is obviously a real buck for me.
"I've come along to show my respect for the European Tour, and obviously this is one of the biggest events they have and BMW do such a great job of hosting this year in year out. They sponsor a number of events in America and in Asia as well, and they are a great sponsor to have for golf.
"Wentworth is a course that suits so many different types of players. Luke Donald has won here twice, and then you have the likes of Scott Hend, who is a bomber of the golf ball and hits it miles. It's also great to see an old sage like Lee Westwood playing well here this week.
"The start here is crucial. I always feel if I can go 4-2-4 over the first three, that's a magic start and it gives me the confidence to go on and build a score, and the par-five fourth is always a great birdie opportunity. Then you can make some ground on a couple of shorter par-fours, and 11 and 12 is a stretch where you're looking for more birdies.
"Then you're kind of hanging on a little bit coming in, although 16, 17 and 18 offer you opportunities but they are also swing holes, where it's just as easy to make bogey as birdie. It can be a volatile stretch coming in, but that's what makes it such an exciting tournament."
Rose has enjoyed a consistent season so far, with five top 10s in his 11 starts on the PGA Tour lifting him to 30th in the FedExCup standings, although he feels his putting has cost him the chance of a win.
He said: "I've been playing beautiful golf this year and I feel that if I make a putt or two I can win. I feel really good about things and I think I'm pacing myself nicely. The last couple of weeks have been a tiny blip, but I'm trying to think it could be a blessing in disguise.
There's a huge summer coming up with the majors, the WGCs and the Olympics, and this enforced break might end up paying off for me. When something like this happens you have to frame it differently. You have to stay on top of it, stay positive and put your best foot forward.
I'm really excited about where my game is and I feel I don't have to make up time when I come back, Having had a couple of weeks off it's given me time to think, to motivate and put a plan in place to have a great summer."
