Southport, England, 17th July 1998 -  He's 4-1/2 years younger than Tiger Woods, his favourite group is the Spice Girls and he's been playing golf ever since he could walk.

And boy, can Justin Rose play.

The English amateur, a scratch golfer at just 14, shot a 4-under 66 today in the second round of his first Open Championship.

That matched the best amateur score ever at the tournament -- Woods also tied it in 1996 at Royal Lytham -- and left him one shot behind leader Brian Watts.

It also had Rose talking about turning pro before his 18th birthday in two weeks.

"I'm being tempted into it at the moment,'' he said. "I haven't made my final decision as of yet. I was going to use this week as a guide. Now I think I could be well tempted.''

Last year, Rose was the youngest player ever to play in the Walker Cup, the amateur equivalent to the Ryder Cup. And while he had already made a name for himself there, such a strong showing in the Open shocked his family.

"It's almost a surreal state of mind,'' said his father, Ken, who moved his family from South Africa when Justin was 5 because it wasn't "quite the environment to bring up kids in.''

"I'm still sitting here trying to believe this is all happening. I mean, your kid ending up with Tiger Woods, Nick Price. I can't quite believe it.''

Sitting with the elder Rose in the media centre was David Ledbetter, golf's best-known teacher. He tutored Rose for a week in Florida a few months ago.

"It's amazing to see him because the changes we worked on have started to take place already,'' Ledbetter said. "It's amazing for a man -- a child of such tender years. He's really well ahead of his years in his maturity and his golf game.''

Ledbetter, who also has taught Spain's Sergio Garcia -- dubbed the next Seve Ballesteros -- called Rose one of the best 17-year-olds he's ever seen.

"Justin's right up there and has a fantastic future,'' he said.

The future is now for Rose, who said he had plastic clubs at 11 months and began playing with real clubs at 5.

The 6-foot, slender teen-ager clinched his 66 with a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 17 and another from 20 feet on No. 18 on a rainy, windy day at Royal Birkdale.

"I'm still sort of taking it in,'' said Rose, who left school at 16 to play golf full time. "It's probably the best I've ever played.''

The last amateur to win the British Open was Bobby Jones in 1930. But putting Rose in that class is premature.

He was knocked out of the British Amateur earlier this year in a tournament the 18-year-old Garcia eventually won. And Rose is not as highly rated as the Spaniard or U.S. amateur Matt Kuchar.

"He's made the cut,'' Ledbetter said. "Now he's got to set some new goals and go out there the next two days and enjoy himself and not put too much pressure on.''