Age in golf can be elastic — for certain people. The elite level of professional golf is already going through a massive sea change in which the common denominator is the emergence of better prepared and ready to play younger talent.
In years past, a four-year intersection at the collegiate level was a mandatory connection. No longer. Even when arriving at the PGA Tour — the time lag between arrival and being a legitimate contender was not an automatic or quick moment.
Players are quickly making the leap in getting to the highest levels and much of that has to do with the early preparations via instruction, the inherent talent they possess and the total immersion in being exposed to rigorous competition at an early stage.
But there are times when the accelerating time clock can be placed on hold.
Last week’s record setting performance from Justin Rose in claiming the Farmers Insurance event at Torrey Pines was nothing less than a tour de force effort.
The 45-year-old Englishman became the event’s oldest winner. His win marked his 13th victory on the PGA Tour and he became just the 4th champion via a wire-to-wire stellar demonstration of sensational golf brilliance.
Rose scored a total of 265, providing a seven-shot margin over a trio of golfers. The effort was his greatest winning margin among all of his wins on the PGA Tour and in the process, he set new scoring records at the 36-, 54-and 72-hole points in the event.
Winning is not a new accomplishment for Rose. Late last year he captured the opening Fed-Ex Cup Playoff event in Memphis in a playoff over Justin Spaun.
Rose has been a steady performer since turning professional back in July of 1998 at the tender age of 17. He vaulted onto the world golf scene when as an amateur he holed his approach on the final hole at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. How fascinating that golf’s oldest event returns to the same venue this July.
The pro golf scene for Rose was anything but success. He missed cuts in his first 21 events and for many such disheartening results could have meant a permanent career detour.
Rose pushed onward and his career has seen a number of milestones. In 2013 he became the first Englishman to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin did so in 1970. He has been a steady contributor to the European team in Ryder Cup play with seven appearances including five times on the winning side.
Justin has played in 85 majors — 58 times making the cut and having 23 top ten placements.
But since 2020 his overall performance in golf’s four majors has been a mixed one. In the 22 majors covering that time frame he has had 9 missed cuts, 7 top tens and a most recent runner-up finish — his third at Augusta — in the 2025 Masters.
Nonetheless, Rose still believes he can continue to be competitive at the elite level of pro golf.
“I don’t think I can work much harder, I think I just need to be patient with myself when the weeks slip by that aren’t great and just know that it’s still there,” Rose said of his recent hard work. “Just know I’m pretty good at sort of gearing up for the weeks I want to play well and I think having that sort of experience to do that.
“And obviously yeah, listen, I’d love to find a way to play well every single week, but if I can kind of find a way to hone in on the weeks that I really want to play well, that would be enough for me to chase down some of the goals I have left in my career.”
Down the line for Rose will be an almost certain captaincy of the Euro team in the Ryder Cup. Speculation had been fueled after the team’s win at Bethpage that Rose would be on the short list for consideration for the ’27 event scheduled for Adare Manor in Ireland.
Given the current status of his golf game – the wherewithal to play once again on the Euro side seems highly likely.
Can Rose garner a second major this year? That’s a more difficult proposition given the limited number — five total – who have done so.
The triumph at Torrey Pines was a clear statement age limits are only placed on those failing to believe in themselves.
A full bloom Rose on display.
The 2026 golf season now heads to Phoenix for the Waste Management event.
