Justin Rose has acknowledged that he is carrying the weight of a nation heading into the Open Championship.

All eyes will be on the 34-year-old at St Andrews following Rory McIlroy's recent withdrawal through injury.

Rose's previous best performance at the event came back in 1998 when he finished fourth, but he is hoping that he can carry British hopes when things get underway.

"As a home hope there might be an added inkling of tension with Rory out, but I don't think that really translates into anything to be worried about or even think about," ESPN quotes the Englishman as saying. "The under the radar stuff, I don't worry about that.

"I'm not trying to promote myself, I'm just happy to go about my business. I would love if the extra attention came as a result of what I'm trying to achieve. The vagaries of the draw sometimes can limit your ability to play well. I've certainly played enough Open Championships where that shouldn't be an excuse but hopefully in the next five or 10 years, I can turn that whole record on its head.

"You only need to win it once and doesn't matter what the previous 10 years look like. Winning the Scottish Open on a links course last year at Royal Aberdeen proved to me there's no reason why I can't do well in the Open."

Rose missed the cut by a single stroke the last time St Andrews hosted The Open in 2010.