Justin Rose has opened up on his wife Kate’s actions in the wake of his Masters playoff loss to Rory McIlroy last week.
The Englishman was left feeling ‘tormented’ after having his arms ripped out of the sleeves of the Green Jacket yet again Sunday as he suffered another agonizing close call at Augusta National.
Yet, despite the devastating blow of a playoff defeat – the second of his career at the Masters – both Rose and his wife, Kate, maintained a classy composure.
Kate was labeled McIlroy’s ‘mystery woman’ after she was spotted hugging and congratulating her husband’s rival, sending social media into a frenzy before being identified as the runner-up’s wife.
However, Rose took the situation in good humour as he addressed the heartfelt moment ahead of the RBC Heritage this week.
‘The “mystery woman.” There was some article somewhere like who’s the mystery woman that was hugging Rory,’ the 44-year-old said Wednesday. ‘It turned out to be Kate. That was pretty funny.’
Justin Rose opened up on his wife’s moment with Rory McIlroy after the Masters Sunday
McIlroy shared an emotional hug with Kate Rose, Justin’s wife, after Masters glory
Kate and Justin, pictured at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, Italy, tied the knot in 2006
McIlroy had a long line of friends waiting to congratulate him next to the 18th green at Augusta National after finally completing the career Grand Slam, including Kate who embraced him and told him, ‘I’m really, really happy for you.’
Rose revealed he didn’t believe the moment was worth discussing with his wife, who he married in 2006, as he shed some light on the motives behind her kind-hearted gesture.
‘Listen, I think in the moment you realize what it means to everybody involved. You realise what it means to other families, what they must be feeling. You’re a part of the moment,’ he added
‘You’re a part of the story. You’re a part of all of the energy that’s going on in that moment. I think that’s what happens. You embrace that connection that you have with everybody and all that’s going on in the moment.
‘No, I don’t know what she said to him. I don’t think that was discussion-worthy or anything, to be honest.’
Kate, who shares son Leo and daughter Charlotte with the golfer, was also captured hugging Erica Stoll, McIlroy’s wife, just seconds after the Northern Irishman’s winning putt dropped.
The tender moments were a reflection upon how close he is with Rose, who has now twice lost a playoff to win the Masters.
They have been Ryder Cup teammates for many years and will almost certainly team up again for Europe later this year when the event is held at Bethpage, just outside New York.
Rose is greeted by his mom Annie and wife Kate as he makes his way off the 18th green
It was the Englishman’s second playoff defeat at the major and third second-place finish
The couple are pictured at the gala dinner before the 2018 Ryder Cup in Versailles
The golfer and former gymnast share two children, son Leo and daughter Charlotte
They echoed the classy message her husband sent McIlroy on social media in the aftermath of one of the most dramatic days in golf’s storied history.
‘I gave it everything,’ Rose wrote. ‘Congratulations Rory McIlroy on winning the Masters and completing the Grand Slam.
‘Very cool sharing the green with you in that moment… thank you Team Rose as always for all the support during the week… We go again.’
The playoff marked the third second-place finish at the Masters for Rose, who has one major title to his name after he won the 2013 US Open.
‘Mixed emotions for sure. A lot of outpouring from people with a lot of positive comments coming at me, so trying to absorb that, trying to absorb the week, but at the same time looking at my phone and just wishing there was a different message there,’ Rose said of the result earlier this week.
‘A lot of heartfelt commiserations and things like that. Clearly having been in situations like that before and even more this time could really sense what it would be like to win it, and felt like I was right there on the edge of winning it, obviously.
‘Certainly don’t feel down in any way, shape or form just because of the performance I was able to put in and how I was able to feel putting in that performance, but just sort of — don’t know what the right word is, tormented probably, by the thought of what might have been.’
