Justin Rose aiming to avoid distraction of World Cup during US Open

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jun/10/justin-rose-us-open-england-team-golf

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A harsh lesson means Justin Rose will avoid England’s World Cup meeting with Italy on Saturday, should he be in a prominent position at the US Open.

Rose has arrived at Pinehurst with aspirations of defending the title he claimed 12 months ago. When asked what interest he would take in the World Cup, Rose harked back to England’s humbling at the hands of Germany in the tournament of 2010.

“Blind faith that England will get far in the tournament prevails,” Rose said. “I thought I could be a little bit of a national hero if I’m leading the US Open and I swerve my press conference to go watch the game.

“I’m not saying that might not happen but I do have – on not such a good note – a story about that Travellers Championship I was leading by three going into Sunday. England were playing in a big game, Germany. It was an emotional football match and then I never really calmed down.

“I think I watched it about 10 in the morning, I was playing at two o’clock in the afternoon, I ended up going out and losing the tournament. So maybe I’ll be a little bit more careful about my emotions watching the football.”

Rose ended a 43-year English wait for this tournament with his victory at Merion. “I would say there’s probably more chance of one of the English players winning this major than England winning the World Cup,” he said.

Rose will spend the opening 36 holes here in the company of Matt Fitzpatrick, who will compete as an amateur for the final time, and Phil Mickelson. Local support will be in Mickelson’s favour, as he seeks to complete a career major championship grand slam and improve on six second-place finishes in the US Open.

“I think the biggest thing for me is that I look at those close calls as a positive sign for having given myself so many opportunities in our national championship,” Mickelson said. “I believe that I’ll have more opportunities. When I do, hopefully the experience that I’ve had in the past will allow me to handle it better in the future.

“It’s a career goal of mine to win all four majors. I feel like the five players that have done that have separated themselves from the other players throughout all time. If I’m able to do that, I feel that I would look upon my own career differently.”