Former US Open champion Webb Simpson labelled it the "craziest stat" of 2015 when Justin Rose shot 14 under par in two majors and won neither, but Rose would gladly accept the same score in this week's Masters.
"For the next 10 years, absolutely. I sure would," joked Rose, who succeeded Simpson as US Open champion with a one-over-par total at Merion in 2013.
Despite being a combined 34 under par for the majors in 2015, the fourth best total in history, Rose finished four shots behind Jordan Spieth at Augusta National, missed the play-off in the Open at St Andrews by the same margin and was six shots adrift of Jason Day at the US PGA.
Rose's total of 274 has only been bettered six times in Masters history, but the 35-year-old took great confidence from the fact that it took a stunning performance from Spieth to prevent him becoming the first European player to win a green jacket and US Open.
"The Masters is a tournament as a young kid I watched probably more than any of the others," Rose said. "The fact it came on late at night and you were able bribe your parents to stay up was probably part of the attraction. It's always had something special.
"To back up a US Open win with a Masters would be just incredible. Obviously the Open Championship is my home event and that's going to be one that's always on the hit list.
"But to win here, it's a venue that we come back year on year, you begin to develop that relationship with the course, the venue, the feel, the tournament. And it's somewhere I feel very, very comfortable. I've had a lot of good rounds here. Last year I was able to put four together in a row.
"If I look back at the 16th green (in the final round), I felt that if I make my birdie putt and Jordan misses for par, it's a two-shot swing and I'm two back with two to play. But my putt just slid by and he made a great eight-footer to keep his momentum.
"Essentially I was beaten by an all-time great performance so I take a lot of confidence from that; many other years, that level of performance is good enough to win. If you get beaten by a better guy on the week, you tip your cap. But I know that what I was able to do last year tells me I've got what it takes to win the tournament going forward."
Despite finishing joint second with Phil Mickelson last year, Rose has barely been considered as a contender in 2016 due to the focus on Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, although he is not complaining.
"That's fine with me," Rose added. "I haven't really had any fireworks yet this year, to sort of come in here with people having me at the front of their mind.
"I feel like all of my backroom work has all been fantastic and my preparation has been coming along nicely. (I'm) under the radar, but certainly feeling good with my game."
Source: PA-WIRE
