Justin Rose says he’s motivated by Phil Mickelson to continue winning into his late 40s and is targeting a “golden summer” after winning the FedEx St Jude Championship.

Rose, 45, became the oldest European to win on the PGA Tour in the modern era after beating US Open champion JJ Spaun in a playoff.

The Englishman, whose last triumph came in February 2023, is now second in the six-player list of Team Europe’s automatic qualifiers for the Ryder Cup in September, live on Sky Sports, so is set to make a seventh appearance in golf’s famous biannual event.

“There’s a pretty short list of guys that are competitive in that 45 to 50 sort of age range,” said Rose.

“Obviously Phil Mickelson bucked the trend. He won a major at 51. I feel like that’s good motivation.

“I still feel like there is that golden summer of my career available to me. That’s what I’ve been pushing for. Moments like getting close at Troon and then obviously getting close at Augusta, they’re signals that it’s possible.

“This is another really, really, really important signal that I’m on the right track with my game, and actually maybe even getting a little bit better at the moment.”

Rose’s only major victory came at the 2013 US Open but he has since finished runner-up at the Masters three times, including in April this year in a dramatic playoff defeat to Rory McIlroy, and is only the second golfer to lose two Masters playoffs in his career – the other being Ben Hogan in 1942 and 1954. He has also twice been second at The Open in 2018 and 2024.

Should Rose win a major after 2026, he would become the oldest European to win one of golf’s four biggest events, and he is “excited” to see how the latter stages of his career develop.

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“Will I ever be the best player that I was when I was maybe 2018 No 1 in the world? I don’t know, but I don’t have to be, I don’t think, as long as I can find it at the key times,” he said.

“I’ve been able to do that, I’ve shown good signs, I think. But winning is winning. I think proving that to yourself, even though I’ve come close and I felt good in contention, getting over the line is still difficult, and obviously I’ve won, like, twice in six years now, but this one felt good.

“I felt like I had to hit the shots, I had to step up again and again and again in the playoff. I felt ready for it. I felt calm. I felt collected. I think that’s when you learn most about yourself.”

Howell: Rose as good as anyone in big moments

Sky Sports Golf’s David Howell:

“Rose was special when he came on the tour at 17 years old, finishing fourth at The Open. He had it from the word go.

“He’s kept it going for the best part of three decades, which is remarkable, and he has incredible belief in his own abilities, when it really matters.

“He realises he wasn’t going to be as consistent in this period of his career compared to 10 years ago but in the big moments, he’s got it just as well as anyone else.

“Justin wants another major. He wants the Masters. That’s the tournament which has broken his heart.

“This will give him another boost to make him think ‘maybe I have got another few good years at this’ and to go ‘why can’t I win in my 50s’. Phil Mickelson won in his 50s.

“We will see some great stuff from Justin over the next few years and he will have a great Ryder Cup next month.”

How to watch BMW Championship live on Sky Sports this week?

Sky Sports will have extended coverage from all three of the FedExCup Playoffs, with all tournament rounds on Sky Sports Golf and bonus coverage on Sky Sports+.

Early coverage of the BMW Championship begins at 2.15pm over the first two rounds on Sky Sports+, ahead of full coverage from 5pm on Thursday and Friday and 6pm over the weekend on Sky Sports Golf.

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