Failure inspires Rose's success

Justin Rose missed the cut at the European Open last week. This is pertinent because, if the trend of the season continues, the young Englishman already has at least one hand on the Barclays Scottish Open trophy. You can bank on it. On four of the five previous occasions Rose had missed the cut, he went on to win his next tournament. On the other, he finished a shot outside the play-off between Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie in Germany.

Rose has been employing a simple motto this year: "Don't get mad, get even." He has been getting insanely even. Not even Woods can claim to better Rose's four titles for the season, although they have not been on such a grand scale as those belonging to the world No 1.

"I cannot really explain why I have had success off the back of a bad week rather than a run of good tournaments," Rose said. "I think it is a sign that when I have a bad week I don't panic. I have got trust in my game now. I can shrug it off and believe I can find something the next week to get running again." If the 21-year-old ever thought of pulling out of this week to enhance his chances for next week and the Open Championship at Muirfield – at least statistically – then it was fleetingly at most. "These are two of the biggest tournaments of the year," the British Masters champion said. "But the Scottish Open has always been a prestigious event on the Tour schedule.

"There are all sorts of incentives for playing here and forgetting about the Open. If you win this you can make massive inroads on the Order of Merit. The course doesn't necessarily prepare you for the Open. The fairways are very wet and it's playing long, but you need to be a good ball-striker to play well."

Rose amply proved he was back to his best with an opening round of 65, six under par. He birdied six of the first 10 holes and survived setbacks at the 11th and 12th, where he dropped shots, to add further birdies at the 14th and 15th. His only prickly moment came when driving into the bushes at the 12th. He gambled on getting back to the fairway with his recovery and was relieved to walk off with a bogey when he had accepted a six as inevitable.

A day of intermittent showers meant play could continue, though the fairways are not far from saturation. There could no complaints about the greens, which were rebuilt 18 months ago and have retained their slickness despite the appalling weather.

Miles Tunnicliff, the winner of the Great North Open last month, took just 19 putts, plus three more from just off the edge in his 66. Tunnicliff, 33, was playing on the Challenge Tour until recently but now has a chance to qualify for the Open. "It is amazing how one week can turn your career around." It helped to have played in the morning, as Rose and Tunnicliff did.

Ernie Els was among the later starters and returned a 68, while Darren Clarke had a 70 and Colin Montgomerie a 72. "I'm glad that's over," Els sighed. "It was a tough day. Conditions were not easy, we almost had all four seasons in 10 minutes. Some of the fairways are just about waterlogged but the greens are unbelievable. If they were not this good we would be sitting in the clubhouse."

Barry Hume, the Scottish Amateur champion, continuing his impressive showing at the British Masters, was among those on four under, as was Sandy Lyle. The 44-year-old former Open and Masters champion has turned in some good figures in the last month. "I am as happy as a sandboy, me," he said. "This is what I've been waiting for, to feel like I am playing the way I am sure I can. My ball-striking is good on the range and now the scores are coming as well. To bogey the first and still score 67 tells me my game is not far off.

"But I don't want to look too far ahead," added Lyle, who has not won for 10 years. "I don't want to start mouthing off that I can win the Open, although I think it could happen. It is just encouraging to put together good scores on courses like this."