US Open Golf 2014 Tickets, Dates & Odds: Can Justin Rose Do a Repeat?

With the US Open set to start on Thursday, Justine Rose is eyeing a back-to-back win.

The Boston Globe noted that only five players were able to repeat a US Open championship. But it was only Curtis Strange who secured a repeat win after emerging champion in 1988 and 1989. Now, 25 years after, it's Rose turn to follow suit.

"I think the longer it goes, the more fortunate I realize I was," Strange told the Boston Globe. "You can go the obvious reasons: It's a year removed. Different golf course. The talent level has always been deep. You have to be at the right place at the right time. Be fortunate.

"I'm not a Miami Dolphins-type person. I'm not rooting against him. I'm not drinking champagne Sunday night. If Justin would happen to do it this year, that would be fantastic," he added.

Rose is making the rounds to ensure that he will be well prepared for the big task ahead. After ranking 3rd in the world after his US Open Championship in 2013, he slipped to the 9th spot. 

"My preparation's going to be key. It's developing and designing a game plan that you believe will hold up over 72 holes that you can execute, that suits your game, and that will produce the winning score," he told Boston Globe.

Rose will compete with Matt Fitzpatrick and Phil Mickelson in the tournament.

According to the Guardian, Rose's fierce contender, Mickelson, is aiming to complete his career major championship grand slam and recover from his six second-place finishes in the US Open.

"I think the biggest thing for me is that I look at those close calls as a positive sign for having given myself so many opportunities in our national championship," Mickelson told The Guardian. He added that his career goal is to win all four majors.

But Rose is prepared for any challenge that fellow golfers have for him during the tournament and will not entertain distractions even those brought by football. The player is strongly supporting England at the World Cup.