Justin Rose believes he is well suited to the test of links golf that he will receive this week at the Open Championship.

The Hampshire ace this afternoon begins his bid for a second major title of his career, as he tees it up at Royal Liverpool.

Rose has not had much luck in the Open, since finishing tied-fourth as an amateur in 1998, but he has plenty of experience of links golf, having grown up on these shores.

The world number three and bookies’ favourite, who won the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen last week – his second victory in succession – reckons he is, therefore, in good shape for Hoylake.

“I played a lot of links golf growing up,” said Rose, the 2013 US Open champion. “Virtually every major, amateur championship or tournament (in Britain) is played on links golf.

“We don’t have a lot of fairway watering. Even some parkland golf courses can play like links courses through the middle of the summer.

“So I really felt like growing up I was very accustomed to it, really enjoyed it, embraced it and did very well on it.

“Sometimes as a pro we do soften, we play in such great conditions most of the time, and when you do get that really nasty day, you’re not as prepared or as ready for it as maybe an amateur potentially would be.”

Rose added: “I’ve had to just relearn a few of my old tricks, I suppose.”