'Long way to go' Stewart regrets Rose's decision to turn pro at 17 Click here for more on this story Posted: Wednesday July 14, 1999 02:50 PM   Growing pains: Justin Rose has no regrets, yet he's won only about $5,500 as a professional. Stephen Munday/Allsport CARNOUSTIE, England (AP) -- Justin Rose still thinks he did the right thing. Payne Stewart doesn't, and the evidence is on his side. Some more seasoning before turning pro, Stewart believes, may have saved Rose from the nightmare that was the English teen's rookie season. "His experience right now is not real good," Stewart said. "So he has got a long way to go to grow to." Rose, whose fourth-place finish as a 17-year-old amateur in last year's British Open convinced him to turn pro, went 22 European tournaments in a row before making his first cut last month. After making that cut, he went on to shoot 82 in his third round. Stewart said the pain could have been avoided if Rose would have gone to college and gotten tested under more tournament conditions. "I wish he had gone over and played university golf in the States. At 16 or 17 years old I don't think that you're mature enough to come out here and compete with the best players in the world. I think maturity is something that comes over time." Rose, who was followed by teen-age girls and cheered on by British fans eager for a new golf hero, pitched it into the hole out of the rough last year to finish with a flourish. He disputes Stewart's contention that he did the wrong thing by turning pro immediately. "I know a lot of guys who have been to America hated it," said the 18-year-old, who has won only two checks totaling some $5,500 as a pro. "It depends on the coach you get and the college you go to. "As a golfer I felt I was progressing fine ... so there was no need to feel like I needed to go to America. "I don't regret anything I have done, there's no doubt about that," he said two days before he tees off at Carnoustie. "Timing didn't quite happen -- momentum didn't quite get going, but I never regret it." Stewart, who won his second U.S. Open title three weeks ago, explained why he felt Rose would have benefited from a spell at a university. "Look at me, I'm 42 and I'm just now maturing," he said. Golf coach David Leadbetter, who was guiding the youngster at the time his Open performance at Royal Birkdale hit the headlines, believes Rose should drop to the less demanding Challenger series to regain his confidence. "I don't think what's happened is going to really do him any harm," Leadbetter said. "He's pretty much put it out of his mind and say, `Hey, I tried, it didn't work, so I've got to go another route." "Definitely the route is to get on the Challenge Tour, get some good scores under his belt, build some confidence and just start playing again. "He was always trying to force the issue from the very start, make cuts and win money and initially try and win his card," Leadbetter said. "Then he had all these invites and the pressure was on him there. He just needs to get away from the limelight a bit and get back to playing. "On the Challenge Tour he can just freewheel it a bit and just let his natural game come out. I have full confidence in him. "He has to believe in himself that he can do it."   Related information Stories A Rose looks to bloom in Scotland History poses a major test for Woods Multimedia Click here for the latest audio and video Search our site Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV. Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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