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Justin Rose happy to make son cry with Rio joy
Justin Rose needed only one videophone call home to see the broad impact of his winning the first Olympic golf crown since 1904 reflected in his children’s eyes.
Justin Rose needed only one videophone call home to see the broad impact of his winning the first Olympic golf crown since 1904 reflected in his children’s eyes.
And a praising text message from friendly but absent rival Rory McIlroy didn’t hurt either.
British star Rose won the gold medal Sunday then missed his flight home Monday and a football match trip with seven-year-old son Leo to Stamford Bridge to see his beloved Chelsea open the Premier League campaign against West Ham.
Leo had previously won a medal at a football camp and told Rose, “Daddy, I’ve got my medal, now you go get yours.”
So when avid all-sport Olympic watcher Leo got to speak with his dad, he was weeping with joy after seeing Rose had gotten his medal to stand among the heroes on his telly.
“I’ve never seen my little boy in tears,” Rose said Monday.
“He was actually crying when I phoned him. That was very special. Almost had me crying.”
The 2013 US Open champion also saw his four-year-old daughter Lottie’s eyes widen watching Olympic gymnasts flip and tumble, another sign that his decision to play had been the right one.
“It was important to them. That made my win feel a lot more important,” Rose said.
“It has resonated with a wider audience, far wider than the US Open victory did. It is not just golf fans. It’s sports fans as a whole. It hit home with Leo for sure.
“It resonated for a younger audience. It brought golf into a context they can understand,” Rose said, citing several similar texts from “the deep, dark parts of your phone book that don’t often get used.”
As far going to see Chelsea with his son, Rose said, “I’ll make it up to him.”
It might be harder for McIlroy, top-ranked Jason Day and some of the 20-or-so other top players who skipped Rio to make up for sitting out the first Olympic golf event in 112 years.
“I think they are going to sit back and realize this was a great event,” Rose said.
“It’s not going to sit well with them. It’s an opportunity that comes around so rarely. Hopefully they are going to take the opportunity in 2020.”
International Golf Federation president Peter Dawson seconded Rose on that notion.
“I would be surprised if next time around we don’t get a full turnout,” Dawson said. “What they have witnessed on television will make them realize they have missed out on a great event.”
As for McIlroy’s message, the man who last month didn’t rank golf as a “real” Olympic sport was happy for Rose.
“He was very complimentary. Absolutely he watched,” Rose said.
“He has said his personal opinions but he’s very much behind golf being at the Olympics.”
He had better be. He’s going to have to listen to Rose talk about it through 16 major championships from now until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“There will be little old me just bragging away,” Rose said. “This has made my season. It’s a huge win for me. It has made my next four years. It’s amazing bragging rights.”