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Rose cruises to Scottish win in tune-up for Hoylake

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Justin Rose put on a clinic Sunday in how to turn a 54-hole lead into a trip to the winner’s circle. Simple answer: shoot a 65. He came out on fire, birdieing four of his first six holes, and although the final result was only a two-shot Scottish Open victory, nobody ever really had a chance as he won for the second time in as many starts. This win, combined with his victory at the Quicken Loans National, has to move the 2013 U.S. Open champion up the favorites list as we turn our attention toward major No. 3.

Leaderboard: Justin Rose (-16),  Kristoffer Broberg (-14), Marc Warren (-11), Stephen Gallacher (-10), Matteo Manaserro (-10), Shane Lowry (-10), Tyrell Hatton (-10) Notables: Rickie Fowler (-9), Phil Mickelson (-8), Rory McIlroy (-7)

What it means: Of the four majors, the Open Championship seems to have Rose’s number. His best finish (T-4) came in his first appearance, as a 17-year-old amateur. However, his Scottish Open win this week immediately vaults him into the coversation of serious contenders at Hoylake. He also has recent history on his side, as Phil Mickelson pulled off the improbable Scottish-British double dip just last year.

Round of the day: While Rose never let anyone get too close, Stephen Gallacher’s 8-under 63 could have gotten him into contention had some of the leaders started to slip. Playing in front of a home crowd, the Scot’s course record consisted of nine birdies, going out in 33 and firing a 30 on the inward nine. Good enough for a T-4 finish. His only blemish was a bogey on the par-3 third. Chile’s Felipe Aguilar also shot a 63 to share the course record with Gallacher. He finished T-24. The old course record was 64, set by Rory McIlroy on Thursday.

Best of the rest: Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler’s matching 6-under 65s should give the American fan favorites some confidence going into next week’s Open Championship. Fowler seems to be peaking just in time for the year’s third major, a strategy he has been able time well this season, parlaying a solo sixth at the Shell Houston Open into a T-5 result at Augusta National and then finishing T-2 at the U.S. Open after a tie for 13th the week before at the FedEx St. Jude. Mickelson, who has looked lost at times this season, finally got his putter working on Sunday with eight birdies, which can’t hurt his chances defending his British Open title next week.

Biggest disappointment: Scotland’s own Marc Warren started the day tied with Rose atop the leaderboard, but didn’t stay there long. Warren, who closed with a 1-under 70, wasn’t awful on Sunday, he just simply couldn’t keep up. He finished third, five shots behind Rose.

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McIlroy (68) continues up-and-down Scottish Open

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Rory McIlroy is probably wishing he could jump from Thursdays straight to Saturdays.

Once again this week, McIlroy enjoyed a strong opening round followed by an unpredictably poor second round, then bounced back with a solid third round at the Scottish Open.

Following a 64-78 start, McIlroy posted a 3-under 68 on Saturday. After an opening bogey, he birdied three of the next five holes, then added a fourth birdie on the back nine.

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The round only got him within shouting distance for his second victory of the 2014 season, but with next week’s Open Championship looming, it was at least a moral victory after a second round that included seven holes of bogey or worse.

Since finishing T-3 at the year’s third major in 2010, the former world No. 1 hasn’t fared better than 25th place in the event.

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Westwood's Scottish MC causing Ryder Cup waves

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Lee Westwood’s missed cut Friday at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open is causing some angst in European Ryder Cup circles.

Westwood’s third consecutive missed cut didn’t go unnoticed by Europe’s team leadership.

While Ryder Cup vice captain Sam Torrance went on the record last week saying Westwood should be told “straight away” that he’s going to be a captain’s pick, Europe’s head man doesn’t agree with his assistant.

“That might be Sam’s view, but it’s certainly not mine,” European captain Paul McGinley told London’s Daily Mail on Friday.

A week ago, Torrance, who captained the European Ryder Cup team to victory in 2002, said this about Westwood: “I don’t think his form over the last few months is of any concern to Paul. I think he should put him in the team straight away. He’s a man for the big occasion.”

McGinley, though, has concerns with Westwood well outside the qualifying standards.

“We’ve got three huge events coming up that will determine the final lineup, and the truth is Lee needs to do something,” McGinley said.

Westwood, 41, has played in eight Ryder Cups, helping the Euros win six of them.

“I’ve got to sort it out and start hitting it better,” Westwood said after Friday’s missed cut. “I’ve not hit it well for two, three months now.”

Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter, two other European Ryder Cup stalwarts, also are outside the qualifying standard, but McGinley said they’re in better positions to be two of his three captain’s picks. McDowell just won the French Open and Poulter is just one spot off qualifying on the world points list and two spots off qualifying on the European points list.

“If either of them end up needing a pick, they’ve got a very good chance of getting one,” McGinley told the Daily Mail.

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