Justin Rose has been backed to become the world’s number one golfer and claim a career grand slam of major titles after his victory in the US Open.

The Hampshire ace recorded the biggest win of his career and wrote his name into the history books after a dramatic week at Merion, in Philadelphia.

While others wilted, Rose blossomed on a pressurised final day to capture his first major, finishing two strokes clear of home favourite Phil Mickelson and Australia’s Jason Day.

He becomes the first Englishman to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin, in 1970, and the first to claim any of golf’s four crown jewels since Nick Faldo in the 1996 Masters.

The 32-year-old’s success has moved him up to third in the world rankings, and his former Hampshire and England colleague Matt Blackey believes he will climb even higher.

“This is just the start of the next phase of Justin’s career,” said Blackey, a close friend of Rose and a former European Tour player himself.

“I firmly believe he will win at least one more major as well as becoming world number one at some point over the next two years.”

Richard Bland, the European Tour pro from Southampton, thinks Rose could finish his career having won all of the sport’s major championships.

“You could see Justin easily winning all four over his career,” said the Stoneham pro. “He’s got the game to do it. The US Open is probably one of the hardest to win, just because of the test it sets you, so I think we will see him kick on even further from here.”

Rose had started the final day two shots behind the leader, Mickelson, but he battled to an impressive level-par round that was enough to move him to the top of the leaderboard.

“He deserved it,” said Hayling’s Blackey, who now works for TaylorMade adidas Golf at their global headquarters, in California. “He was outstanding and it’s no coincidence that he won at Merion being that it was probably one of the toughest courses in US Open history off the tee and he is currently the best driver of a golf ball in the world.

“I had a feeling that 2013 could be his year with the Masters and the US Open being his best chances of major success. I am delighted to have been proved right.“Hampshire is very proud of him and so are TaylorMade adidas Ashworth Golf, he is a wonderful ambassador.”

Rose will have an opportunity to add to his major tally when he travels to Scotland next month to compete in the Open Championship.

Given some of his performances in recent years, winning multiple times on the PGA Tour, claiming a World Golf Championship event in 2012, and helping Europe to a historic Ryder Cup victory last September, he will enter Muirfield as one of the hot favourites.

“Justin is showing now how good he can really be. It shows he can win any tournament he pegs it up in,” said Bland.

“He’s got one of the best swings in the world, so you know he is going to hold up under the severest of pressure. I think he has really improved his putting too.”