England's Justin Rose, aged 45, secured a dominant wire-to-wire victory at the Farmers Insurance Open, finishing seven strokes ahead at 23-under par and shattering Tiger Woods' tournament scoring record. The win marks his 13th PGA Tour title and propels him to third in the world rankings, vindicating his 2022 decision to reject LIV Golf offers. Rose emphasized his commitment to competing against the best, driven by childhood dreams of major success.
Justin Rose's triumph at Torrey Pines in San Diego marked a stunning revival for the 45-year-old Englishman. Leading from the first round with a 10-under 62 on the North Course, Rose never relinquished his advantage, closing with rounds that set 36-, 54-, and 72-hole scoring records. His total of 23-under par surpassed the previous mark of 22-under held by Tiger Woods (1999) and George Burns (1987). This victory, his second in five starts dating back to last season, elevated him to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings, behind only Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Rose's decision to turn down lucrative LIV Golf offers in 2022, when his ranking had slipped to the 60s, has proven prescient. Unlike peers such as Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson who joined the Saudi-backed league, Rose stayed loyal to the PGA Tour and European Tour for access to majors and top competition. "My career goals have always only been attainable by staying on the European Tour and the PGA Tour because access to them is not possible the other way," Rose said post-round. He added, "I always felt my childhood self wouldn’t feel very good about making that decision and giving up on those dreams."
Recent near-misses fuel his fire: a runner-up at the 2024 Open Championship and a playoff loss to McIlroy at the 2025 Masters. Rose becomes the oldest wire-to-wire winner on Tour since Rocco Mediate in 2010 at age 47. The event also saw Brooks Koepka's return to PGA Tour play after leaving LIV, finishing tied for 56th amid putting struggles.
Rose's sustained excellence, blending self-belief, work ethic, and love for the game, defies age expectations. As he noted, "I’m still loving it. I’m still working hard... I still believe there’s some really good stuff ahead of me." This "Indian Summer" positions him to chase more majors.
