LA JOLLA, Calif. — There was little doubt all day for Justin Rose.
He began Sunday’s Farmers Insurance final round at Torrey Pines with a three-shot lead and never relinquished it en route to his 10th career victory, closing with a 3-under 69 to finish the week 21-under.
“He performed like the No. 1 player should,” said Adam Scott, who spent the day playing in the same group and chasing Rose. He finished runner-up, two shots back at 19-under.
Jason Day, the defending champion who shot a final-round 67 to finish tied for fifth, lamented that 10-under was good enough to win the tournament last year. Scott birdied his final four holes and still finished two shots behind Rose.
“Justin was 20-under par through 13 holes in the third round [Saturday],” Scott said. “I don’t know if that’s ever happened. He’s been playing great. He’s the No. 1 player in the world, and he’s showing why right now.
“Even when he was a little bit off [Sunday], he kept it together and then closed with five birdies in the last 12 holes. It’s hard to beat that when you’re three [shots] back around this course.”
Indeed, Rose carded bogeys on three of his first five holes Sunday and saw his lead evaporate to a mere shot. But he birdied Nos. 7 and 8 and added three more birdies on his back nine to keep his chasers at bay.
“When he was shaky, he got it back together quickly, and then he didn’t do anything wrong on the back [nine],” Scott said. “He holed great putts on 15 and 16. If he misses, those you never know, the door’s a bit ajar, but he closed well.”
Rose, of course, was pleased with the goings on, shooting four consecutive rounds in the 60s.
“I mean, 21-under par around Torrey Pines is great golf,” Rose said. “But you had to do it. Adam Scott got right there, and I played some great golf coming down the stretch. A three-shot lead is never easy, and the start was anything that could go wrong did go wrong.
“Definitely there were times in my career where I’ve had decent-sized leads and you start to throw it away a little bit and you panic. I just knew I couldn’t do that today. I stayed calm. So I felt like I had to work hard for this one.”
Rose also won with new equipment, answering any questions about whether that would derail his No. 1 ranking.
“Obviously, you face a lot of doubts and questions,” he said. “People, rightfully so, they don’t understand why I would make that change, but I made the change hopefully to get better as a golfer. So that made it special this week to sort of see that trajectory so soon.”
Rose dedicated the victory to his regular caddie, Mark “Fooch” Fulcher, who recently had heart surgery. When Rose’s final putt went in, he thumped his chest in honor of Fulcher.
“I think Fooch sitting at home watching this was harder than heart surgery,” Rose said. “This one’s for him.”
