Rose seems tired but jovial, three days removed from Merion triumph

Taking the stage in the TPC River Highlands interview room just three days after winning the U.S. Open at Merion, Justin Rose fielded a wide variety of questions on everything from his emotions after tapping in on 18 to his thoughts on up-and-coming players who could join him as a major winner down the line.

Rose played in a corporate outing on Monday after winning at Merion, before doing a comprehensive media tour through New York City on Tuesday. He said that he enjoyed the hustle-and-bustle for the day, as he conducted numerous interviews and read the top 10 list on the David Letterman show.

Now in Cromwell, CT, just outside Hartford, Rose looks to keep up the good vibes at the second stop on his three-week American swing that will end next week at the AT&T National at Congressional. Rose said knowing he would be playing three consecutive weeks allowed him to loosen up a bit before play commenced at Merion (he didn't arrive until Tuesday evening), and that he looks forward to trying to keep himself in contention three weeks in a row. He has experience playing well in Hartford after the U.S. Open - he followed up a tie for 10th at Oakmont in 2007 (at 11-over!) with a T9 showing at TPC River Highlands.

Rose said he enjoys coming back to Hartford, as he compares the feeling to Hilton Head's laid-back vibe the week after the Masters. Although he didn't play Travelers in 2011 or 2012, he played it seven consecutive years from 2004 to 2010.

So far, this has been Rose's most consistent season on the PGA Tour, with eight top-25 finishes in nine starts, despite a missed cut at The Players Championship in May. He said that although he has been a touring pro for 15 years, he hadn't truly felt 'ready' to win a major until last year, and that he was pleasantly surprised to see the feeling come to fruition so soon.

Although it may be conventional wisdom to think that Rose is too burned out from the Merion hoopla to properly prepare for this week's event, sometime good play can take precedence over meticulous preparation. After all, Phil Mickelson is well-known for his elaborate 'game plans' going into majors, and he has yet to win a U.S. Open despite six runner-up finishes.

And if Rose managed to navigate the venerable Philly track in one-over for 72 holes - thick rough, narrow fairways and all - the smart money says he will be able to string a few birdies together at River Highlands.