Justin Rose

If golf is to thrive in the Games the finest need to be there. Ultimately it will be up to the players to decide how important the Olympics is in golf.

I knew I was going to be a pro golfer from the age of 12, when I qualified for the Carris Trophy, which is for under-18s. That was when I thought I was OK at golf. I had no clue about how difficult the game actually is at that age of course - I was blissfully unaware of all the hard work ahead.

There are pictures of me in the garden at the age of one with a little plastic club. I had no concept of golf but I loved hitting the ball. I could do it all day. Only when I got to five was I playing every day though.

What got me to where I am today is a hunger and a desire to win tournaments, and all the trappings that came with that.

I didn't have much. I grew up with a loving, supportive family, with a roof over my head, but there was no luxury.

You definitely want more for your kids than you have yourself, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

Kate is determined that our children feel English, that this should be who they are. She adores London, as a Chiswick girl born and bred.

I think that relative to my normal levels of performance I am one of the best at being able to raise my game for the majors, and that what is giving me so much self-belief.

There can be tournaments that can be elusive no matter how well you play in them, but there's no point in thinking, 'Well, it's just not to be' until it's done and dusted.

It's why Nick Price was my favourite golfer growing up. He managed to win majors, get to world No1 but did so with a nice-guy image. He showed that the two are not mutually exclusive.

No disrespect to any other competition, but what drives me now is majors, Ryder Cups, the Olympics.

The more force we generate, the more force the body has to absorb.

So, listen, my record in the Ryder Cup is as good as anybody's really, breaking it down, points-wise.

I tell people I would like to have been an architect. I like the creative aspect of that. I like the idea of something on a piece of paper coming to life.

The Olympics should be the best against the best in every sport.

On the back of Rio, I really hoped Japan would be the huge leap forward for golf in the Olympics.

I need to put myself in the positions that test you the most at the very high end of the game.

You hope you're good enough to win a major, you think you're good enough to win a major, but not until you win one do you know that you're good enough to win a major.

There's always been a sense that I need to win the Open to validate what I did as a teenager at Birkdale.

All the other major championship venues rotate around, so winning the Masters gives you the opportunity for many years to walk down memory lane and be a significant part of that club.

I used to arrive at Augusta and just used to enjoy the experience. I used to kind of feel like it was a treat to be there, it was a bit of a dream to be there. And I used to walk around just trying to take it all in.

I'd say one of my coolest friends is Justin Timberlake, and he texted me once after I played well and he said, 'Swagger on 100!' And I said, OK, cool - whatever that means, I'm in.

Winning your first major is a massive hurdle.

For me, major championships have a way of testing my system a bit more, and testing all aspects of my game. Majors test even very good players' weaknesses, and that aspect tends to play into the better players' hands.

I think the top players play better in majors.

I always envisaged myself getting to world No1 and to join that company of players is special. It's scary company, actually.

There's definitely been some looks throughout history on the golf course that would make people say, 'woah, what's this guy wearing?!' if they were to walk into a restaurant.

Bonobos' pants are incredibly comfortable.

My style has evolved through the years being with Bonobos. I've come out of my shell a bit in terms of how I'm dressing on the golf course and what I feel comfortable in. I was very monochrome in the past and was hesitant to wear a lot of patterns even though I really love them.

There are outfits in the golfing world that are acceptable, but when you walk off the course can make you look like a bit of a clown.

Being world No1 doesn't make you one-under on the first tee the next time you play, but it's something to be proud of for sure.

Every young pro has to go through a period where you change a few things, get a little bit technical, and maybe I'd had that period for too long.

I went through a patch when I felt I didn't deserve a nice car. I like to use them as treats, not have one for the sake of having one because I can afford one. I like to reward myself.

I feel I've created some better opportunities in The Open than my record suggests and I know I can play links golf really, really well.

I don't mind expectation. I feel you've got to be a big boy, and be able to handle that. If you want to play at the top level, that's what you've got to live with.

Just dedicate yourself to improving, to learning, to trying to get better. That's why I wake up in the morning.

I turned pro at 18 and it took me 20 years to get to world No1.

It's something I can say, I've been the best player in the world - I've been to the top of the game.

I wanted to play in Ryder Cups and I've done that.

I have given up gluten, like Djokovic.

I've seen some guys go through a career and not be able to get that elusive first major and no doubt it's a hole in any career if you don't get it done.

I'm not a politician, I'm a pro golfer.

It's funny, as most players get worse on the greens as they get older, but I feel it's the other way with me.

I think when you have to deal with everyone else's expectation and it's not in line with how you feel, that's difficult.

I'm probably one of the best players in the world and there should be expectation when you're in contention to be able to continue to play well in that situation.

It doesn't matter what you have, golf has been my passion from eight years old, it's part of me.

I can come across as laidback, but I'm driven and get very frustrated.

I get miserable when I'm not playing well and it's in everyone's interest I rebound.

My 30s were obviously amazing, having kids and building the bulk of my career, but although outsiders might think, 'well, he got's a great life, the major, the gold medal, the Ryder Cup status, all those other garlands, what's left?' it's nothing like that. I'm actually still very, very hungry.

Life's a journey and so is golf.