Rose highlights links difficulty

Justin Rose says the unique test offered by links golf means there is no room for complacency at this week’s Scottish Open.

The Englishman won this event at Royal Aberdeen in 2014 and heads to Gullane eyeing a second win of the season, having taking the honours at May’s Fort Worth Invitational on the PGA Tour.

Colonial Country Club’s manicured fairways are a far cry from this week’s fiery Scottish layout in East Lothian, with the players attending hoping to build their form ahead of the upcoming Open Championship.

Rose’s tie for fourth as a teenage amateur in 1998 remains his best finish in his pursuit of the Claret Jug and spending most of his time in America, knows how alien it can be playing on a genuine links layout like Gullane.

The world number three is the highest-ranked player in the field but insists that his standing in the game will have no say on his chances.

“Just because you’re a top-ranked player doesn’t mean you start this tournament with any advantage,” he said. “In golf, you tee off the same as everybody else and you’ve got to build a new body of work. The golf course doesn’t recognise any top player here this week, so you have to focus on yourself. It’s the only way to get back, week on week on week.

“I never take anything for granted, my career has told me that. Obviously I’ve had some up-and-downs along the way, so you can never really take anything for granted and keep working hard. No complacency.”