Justin Rose secures qualification in the 2026 Masters and reveals secrets of his relationship with the caddie
In this year’s Masters Tournament, Justin Rose once again proved he is a contender to watch, making the cut with a solid round of 69 strokes on Friday. The veteran British golfer, three-time runner-up of the tournament, faced a course that could toughen in the coming days, but responded with a controlled and intelligent performance that keeps him in the hunt for the title.
“The course was good today. Being in the morning, there was some moisture on the greens,” Rose commented after the round. “The wind wasn’t too strong and it seemed possible to score well. I found the pin placements a bit easier than yesterday, so I was surprised not to see more players trying to climb the leaderboard. I hope some advance more in the coming days.”
One of the keys to Rose’s consistent performance has been his close connection with caddie Mark “Fooch” Fulcher, who has been with him since 2008, with a break between 2019 and 2023, the year they resumed working together for the Ryder Cup. The rapport between them is evident and crucial for decisions on the course.
Rose explained the dynamics of this relationship: “It’s a delicate balance, because if someone interferes with an idea that isn’t yours, it’s hard to commit to it afterwards. So, we have an agreement where I need to see the situation and lead the vision of what we want to do.”
During the round, some moments of intense debate between Rose and Fooch arose, especially on holes 5 and 9. On the fifth tee shot, there was a plan discussed that Rose didn’t fully appreciate, but ended up following. On the ninth hole, the decision was more personal: “I really wanted to use a 9-iron, but the wind didn’t favour that choice. I didn’t want to use the 8-iron because I felt the ball would go past the green. I was really waiting for the right moment to commit to the 9-iron.”
With 21 appearances in the Masters, Rose shows experience in dealing with the course’s fluctuations. “I think today was probably the best I could do, but I felt the round could have gone either way. I was under a bush on hole 5 and was already +1 in the round. The momentum seemed to be going the wrong way, but I managed to recover and rebuild the game. I give myself credit for finding that rhythm and good form. Of course, I would have liked to take advantage of one or two more opportunities, but many players will leave here feeling the same.”
With this performance, Justin Rose reaffirms himself as one of the golfers to watch in this 2026 Masters, supported by a unique relationship with his caddie and a fiercely competitive mindset. The weekend promises strong emotions for those following the legendary Augusta tournament.
