Justin Rose. Katie Goodale-Imagn Images

45-year-old Justin Rose vows to press on after another 'frustrating' Masters finish

By Nate Miller | Last updated Apr 13, 2026 2:28 PM ET

For Justin Rose, Augusta National has become the place where he just seems destined to remain a bridesmaid.

After finishing second at the 2025 Masters, when he was defeated in a playoff by now back-to-back champion Rory McIlroy, Rose locked in a third-place (tied) result at this year’s event with a -10.

At first glance, that type of showing at the sport’s premier event is impressive for any player. However, Rose grabbed a brief lead halfway through his final round Sunday only to watch it evaporate with back-to-back bogeys at holes 11 and 12 — the "Amen Corner." Rose recovered with a birdie at 15, but a third back-nine bogey at the 17th hole pretty much diminished any chance at winning. When comparing last year’s dramatic disappointment to this year’s shortcomings, Rose expressed his frustration.

"With a sudden-death loss you kind of know you got to the house. You've done everything it took to win. Then it comes down to the flick of a coin at times. Whereas today I felt like, yeah, there was an opportunity to do better, so obviously that is frustrating for sure," Rose said.

Rose now has five top-five finishes at the Masters and an additional three top-10s. He is currently the world’s No. 4-ranked player, but approaching his 46th birthday this summer, the question has to be if he will ever don the coveted green jacket.

Time is not on Justin Rose’s side

The legendary Jack Nicklaus claimed his all-time leading sixth Masters victory in 1986 at 46 years, 82 days old. Rose will be several months past that age by the time he returns to Augusta, Ga., next spring. Still, that’s not deterring the one-time U.S. Open champ (2013) from the goal.

Justin Rose, at 45, has found a strong second wind in his career. He came up short at Augusta National but is really proud of how he has fought in the latter half of his golf life.

"I would say in the last sort of two years I've really kind of re-kicked on and re-energized my… pic.twitter.com/S5nl4pAtaQ
— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) April 12, 2026

Rose is arguably playing the best golf of his career here in his mid-40s. He will have to find a way to maintain that form for 12 more months to bring his Masters dream to fruition. His peers believe he can, as Tyrrell Hatton, who rode a late surge to a -10 of his own this year, gave Rose a vote of confidence.

Nate Miller

Throughout more than a decade covering various sports, particularly MLB & NFL, as a writer, editor, and podcast producer/host, Nate Miller has contributed for many of the top outlets in the biz such as FantasyPros, Athlon Sports, Fantasy Alarm, Sporting News, and others. He's been heard as a feature guest on various radio stations and podcasts, including Sirius XM Fantasy, FNTSY Network, and FM 92. 9 The Game in Atlanta

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