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Rose relishing Open challenge

Justin Rose has twice played with Tiger Woods at the Open © Getty Images

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Justin Rose insists he will not be overwhelmed by playing alongside Tiger Woods at this year's Open Championship.

Rose has been paired with the three-time Open champion and Colombian Camilo Villegas for the first two rounds at St Andrews, but the world No. 16 believes he is more than capable of coping with the extra media attention.

It is not the first time that Rose has been grouped with Woods in the event, having played with him on two previous occasions, at Muirfield in 2002, and at Carnoustie in 2007.

"I'm not overly concerned one way or the other who I play with," Rose said in his column in The Times. "I have played with Tiger twice before at the Open, first at Muirfield in 2002 and then at Carnoustie in 2007 so I have a good idea what to expect.

"The circus that goes with Tiger can be pretty distracting, but I remember my dad giving me a great pep talk on the eve of the championship. He was going through tough times with his health and that put it all into perspective. It's my career, my job, but he explained that at the end of the day, it was just a round of golf."

Rose may have the experience of playing alongside the 14-time Major champion, but does not claim to be friends with him.

"Tiger is good to play with, but I don't try to get into conversation with him," he said. "I have to say I don't know him at all and have never got an insight into his person. He has always been cordial, but we usually say hello and then move on. I have never tried to get to know him because there has never been a natural fit."

Rose finally cracked America last month, winning his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Memorial Tournament before a second victory came just weeks later at the AT&T National.

With two wins in his last three tournaments, Rose is flying high, while Woods has failed to win an event since his return to the golf course in April. But while Woods has won the event three times in the last ten years, Rose has failed to emulate his best finish, joint fourth place as an amateur in 1998.

"Our fortunes have become somewhat reversed at present," Rose said. "I've come here on the back of those wins in the States and he is in the middle of his poorest run. But he is still the man to beat this week.

"If you think of horses for courses, St Andrews seems to have been made for him. He won by eight shots here in 2000, when he was at the peak of his powers, and by five in 2005. That's some going."

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