Justin Rose has insisted that there is no pressure on him heading into Pinehurst this week as he attempts to become the first man to retain the US Open in 25 years.
The Englishman won his first major championship at Merion last year, but no man has won the tournament twice in a row since Curtis Strange in the late Eighties.
Rose admits that this thought has crossed his mind, but does not feel that being defending champion increases expectations on him in North Carolina, as he looks forward to a test which he has enjoyed in the past.
"I've allowed myself that thought for sure," Rose told reporters when asked about defending the title. "Obviously that's the plan this week. I felt like I had a good opportunity in 2012 at Olympic Club, too. I played really well there. I finished six shots back but as a player sometimes it's a lot closer than that.
"I feel like the US Open test suits me. For me being defending champion, I don't even like that word, defending, because it puts you already behind the eight ball. You don't want to be out there being defensive at all.
"I'm just really excited about the opportunity this week presents. Obviously it is only one guy who has the opportunity to repeat, but I'm seeing that as a pressure-free situation. These tournaments are so hard to win, I'm just going to enjoy the challenge of trying to do that."
Rose was the first Englishman to win the US Open in 40 years when he lifted the trophy in Philadelphia.
Joe Fish
