Justin Rose reacts after finishing outside the top 40 at the RBC Heritage just a week after losing to Rory McIlroy at The Masters

Golf is a brutal game at the best of times and after losing in a playoff at The Masters to Rory McIlroy last week, Justin Rose has now come back down to earth with a bump.

Rose – unlike McIlroy – opted to keep playing and tee it up at the RBC Heritage this week as he continues to try and push towards a Ryder Cup spot.

Just a week after coming within a putt of being Masters champion, Rose had high hopes heading to Harbour Town Links.

However, despite making the weekend, Rose suffered two final rounds which very much showed the harsher side of the game.

Rose ended up down outside the top 40 on one over par and reacting to his tournament on social media, Rose couldn’t help but laugh.

Justin Rose reacts after nightmare weekend at the RBC Heritage

Finishing at one over par for a tournament might not seem too bad to some but when the leaders are out on 15 and 16 under, then you’ve basically not performed.

For Justin Rose, it looked like a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show and he was a mile off the form he produced at Augusta National.

Indeed, over on X, Rose has posted to give his verdict and suggested it just wasn’t to be.

Really enjoyable week @RBC_Heritage Hilton Head, such a cool place… Thanks again for all the support/messages again this week.

Rose finished the tournament at five under par but in the end, it was nowhere near good enough to be in contention to win again.

Justin Rose should have followed Rory McIlroy’s lead

After such a dramatic week, Rory McIlroy not playing in the RBC Heritage makes perfect sense.

For Justin Rose, despite already committing to the schedule and event, it might have been better for him to skip the tournament get some well-earned rest in.

Sure enough, Rose will want the FedEx and Ryder Cup points on offer in a signature event but he looked all weekend like a player who’d offered his best last week and ran out of steam.

Key for Rose now is to rest and recover and go again. His season so far has been excellent and as it stands, he’s very much in the chat to make the Ryder Cup.