Blooming Rose: Justin Rose celebrates his victory with his wife Kate, daughter Charlotte and son Leo. (USA TODAY Sports/Tommy Gilligan)

For the eight year running, Tiger Woods hosted the annual PGA Tour Quicken Loans National, an event that benefits his charitable foundation.

In fact, Woods returned from back surgery to participate in the event at the fabled Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Unfortunately Woods'€™ game was rusty to say the least, as he had not competed since March 9.

With that he missed the cut
by four strokes and was unceremoniously knocked out of the weekend'€™s play.

When repeatedly asked about his back, Woods declared that it was fully healed and said he no longer feels any back pain. All eyes will be on him when he participates in the Open Championship in Liverpool, England, beginning July 17.

As the sun set on Saturday'€™s third round, Englishman and 2013 US Open winner Justin Rose was three strokes behind the American tournament leader Patrick Reed, who was at 6 under par for the event.

The task before Rose was clearly larger than his mere 3 stroke deficit. He was in fact tied with five others and had to pass three other players who were at 4 under par.

On Saturday night Rose was asked to comment on the fact that he had not won in over a year, to which he said: '€œYeah, that'€™s a longer spell than I'€™d like but I'€™ve had chances. So I'€™ll just focus on my game and focus on how I'€™m playing and I know that if I'€™m playing well, I'€™ll create plenty of chances.'€

Among those Rose was tied with was the American Shawn Stefani, who was also at 3 under par.

At 23 years of age, Reed went into the final round as the odds-on favorite, since he has had three victories on tour over the last year and won each one after a third round lead. During Sunday'€™s final round, Reed ground through the front nine holes at even par and still looked like a possible winner.

Congressional'€™s back nine holes, however, spelled Reed'€™s demise when he went 6 over par through the 14th hole and fell out of contention.

In the meantime Rose played steady under challenging, dry conditions and shot a 1 under par 70 to go to 4 under par to finish. At that juncture Rose was in second place as the 32-year-old Shawn Stefani took the lead after his birdie on 16 to go to 5 under par.

He then stumbled and made a bogey on the 17th hole to fall back to 4 under par where he finished the day tied for the lead with Rose.

The stage was set for a playoff between Stefani and Rose to decide the winner.

Although Stefani appeared relaxed immediately ahead of the playoff, shaking hands and smiling, he may not have fully grasped the magnitude of what was before him.

Rose, on the other hand, seemed more business-like as the two men approached the par 4, 18th hole to begin the playoff. Stefani went first and hooked his driver well left beyond the trees and into rough.

He had no clear line of sight to the green. Conversely, Rose hit his tee shot perfectly on to the fairway. Having never won a PGA Tour event, the pressure was squarely now on Stefani as he was in trouble.

Even after being able to move his ball without penalty, Stefani hit his second shot into the water around the green. Sensing imminent victory, the major champion Rose calmly hit his second shot on to a safe portion of the green, knowing that Stefani was about to hit his fourth shot.

After Stefani bungled his finish with a double bogey 6, Rose calmly 2 putted for par to claim his first win in over 12 months to loud cheers from the crowd.

It was Rose'€™s second win at the Quicken Loans National, an event he first won in 2010. With his sixth win on the PGA Tour, the 33-year-old Englishman moves up two notches in the Official World Golf ranking to eight position, and will enter the Open Championship in Liverpool, England, as one of the favorites.

The writer can be reached at dhillond@bellsouth.net

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