Justin Rose will reunite with his US Open-winning caddy for the Ryder Cup

Mark Fulcher will once again caddy for Justin Rose, making it his sixth time doing so in the Ryder Cup. Photo: Getty Images/David Cannon

Justin Rose has put together the old gold medal-winning double again, just in time for the Ryder Cup.

Two weeks before the biennial brawl, the Englishman is back contacted Mark Fulcher, the caddy with whom he not only won the Olympics, but also rose to No. 1 in the world, won the US Open title and famously won the decider. singles match against Phil Mickelson at the 2012 Miracle of Medina Ryder Cup.

The duo split four years ago after Fulcher, who has also won majors with Dame Laura Davies and Alison Nicholas, suffered a heart emergency. operation. Since then, Rose has hired several caddies, and Fulcher, who he feared would never caddy again, has worked for 2018 Open champion Francesco Molinari and, most recently, American Billy Horschel.

However, after 11 years of success together, the former Bedfordshire junior champion was destined to always be known as Rose's right-hand man. One of Fulcher's last appearances with Rose was the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, where the former world number one played a major role in winning the European title.

Rose and Fulcher have been a winning combination in the past. Photo: Getty Images/Andrew Redington

Indeed, Rose, who played five matches, had Fulcher at his side in each of those Ryder Cups, and the timing of the reappointment is no coincidence. A popular figure in the squad — despite being once called an «absolute idiot» by Gary Lineker on social media following a political row — and a friend of Europe captain Luke Donald, his presence will be widely welcomed in Marco Simone Country. Club.

After agreeing to return several weeks ago, Fulcher's first task was to accompany Rose on a European intelligence mission to Rome on Monday. After nine members of Team USA — Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were absent for personal reasons — went with captain Zach Johnson on their scouting trip over the weekend, the entire home team took the chance to acclimate to the formation. ..

If the results of the PGA of America's social media department were anything to go by, they found the draft to be too thick and clunky, but Shane Lowry was oblivious to the supposed punitive nature of that stance.

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Ryder Cup Rough Scouting Report… pic.twitter.com/tjbpjofdIq

— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 9, 2023

“I only lost one ball in the rough, so I was pretty pleased with myself,” he said with a laugh. «Our group [Robert McIntyre, Sepp Straka and Rose] was actually pretty good, we didn't lose too many, but one group had a bad day, losing a few.

«In some places it's quite brutal, but no different from what you might see at the US Open or anything like that. If you get a little way off the fairway, it's a lot of fun. But if you drive the fairway well and hit a good second shot, you'll end up on the green, and that's what golf is all about. That's how I see it.

“If you look at the way things work, Scottie Scheffler is the number one player in the world. So it should suit him. They have some of the best players in the world.”

All 12 members of the European team play in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. The DP World Tour's flagship event begins on Thursday with Lowry as the defending champion.