Justin Rose Coping With The 'torment' Of Masters Close Call

The farther Justin Rose drove from Augusta National only made him realize how close he came to winning the Masters.

His phone kept buzzing on the way to Hilton Head Island, one text after another, all of them with the same message that applauded his remarkable rally and offered commiseration and condolences for his runner-up finish to Rory McIlroy .

Rose started the final round seven shots out of the lead, too far back to think about winning. He made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 66. He was in a sudden-death playoff. He lost on a great shot by McIlroy, who hit gap wedge to 3 feet for birdie.

It was a lot to process.

"A lot of outpouring from people with a lot of positive comments coming at me, so trying to absorb that, trying to absorb the week," Rose said Wednesday at the RBC Heritage. "But at the same time, looking at my phone and just wishing there was a different message there."