Open Championship power rankings: Top ten at Royal Birkdale

SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: The Claret Jug, the Open Championship trophy, in front of the clubhouse at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, the host course for the 2017 Open Championship during a Media day for the 146th Open Championship on April 24, 2017 in Southport, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /

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LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND – JULY 07: Justin Rose of England reacts on the 16th hole during day two of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Portstewart Golf Club on July 7, 2017 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /

This week, Justin Rose returns to the place where his career truly began. In 1998, Rose made his Open Championship debut at Royal Birkdale, and finished with low amateur honors. Two shots off the lead and just one shot behind Tiger Woods, Rose tied for fourth place. 24 hours later, he turned professional, and he’d join the European Tour full-time in 1999.

The years have been good to Rose, of course. 14 career wins between the PGA and European Tours, the 2013 U.S. Open championship and the first Olympic gold medal in golf since 1904. That’s a career with Hall of Fame potential written all over it.

What can Rose do this week to add to that legacy? Finally hoisting the Claret Jug, and becoming the first Englishman since Nick Faldo in 1992 to do so would go a long way toward that goal. Rose had a tough break at Erin Hills, missing the cut at the U.S. Open for the second straight year.

He took a few weeks off to rest and practice, and he made a solid return two weeks ago at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. A tie for fourth at Portstewart should give Rose a nice boost of confidence heading into the year’s third major championship.

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