The worst-kept secret is out … Justin Rose has formally left the Honma stable after little more than a year as the manufacturer’s first staff player.
Rose put former partner TaylorMade’s SIM driver in his bag at the Honda Classic in February, which caused a stir in the equipment world. He then added the same brand’s P730 irons to his set-up with the writing on the wall.
‘I have enjoyed working with the Honma team and collaborating closely with them to design and develop excellent golf equipment,’ Rose said in the news release.
‘I was able to see first-hand the innovations that the craftsmen at Honma bring to their clubs. I am hopeful that during our time of partnership, we have laid the groundwork for Honma to continue to expand their brand. We both feel it is the right time to pursue our own paths.’
Rose is a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour and triumphed shortly after switching from TaylorMade with his 2019 Farmers Insurance Open. He added a third-placed finish at the Wells Fargo and a top-five finish at the US Open to his CV, as he looked to downplay talk that the move to Honma was purely financial. His next top five came at the Singapore Open in early 2020.
The Englishman has since slipped to No 14 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
