Justin Rose seems pretty comfortable with life as a free agent.
The former world No. 1 shined Thursday at the Charles Schwab Challenge, firing a bogey-free 63 to take a one-shot lead after the morning wave. The low score shouldn't be a surprise given the clinical performance Rose authored at this event two years ago, shooting four straight rounds of 66 or better to cruise to a three-shot win.
But the Englishman had been struggling before the Tour's three-month hiatus, and last month he officially announced his split from equipment manufacturer Honma. Rose signed with the Japanese company in 2019, winning at Torrey Pines last year in his second start with the clubs, but has largely struggled since while falling from first to 14th in the world rankings.