Newly-crowned US Open champion Justin Rose has hailed the influence of coach Sean Foley following his triumph at Merion.

The Hampshire star carded a final round of 70 - the lowest score of any player in the last 10 groups - to claim his first major title by two shots from Phil Mickelson and Australian Jason Day.

And the 32-year-old was quick to credit Foley for his success as he approaches the fourth anniversary of working with the Canadian, who also coaches world number one Tiger Woods and Hunter Mahan - fourth behind Rose at Merion.

"In two weeks' time at the AT&T National, that will be our four-year anniversary," Rose said after collecting almost £1million for his win. "And I feel like my golf game has gotten better and better every year.

"For me to come into a US Open and feel like this is one of my legitimate chances to win a major is a testament to my ball striking.

"Last year I was leading both tours in greens in regulation and this year there's been a big improvement in my driving stats.

"I picked up a little bit of yardage and was hitting it a little bit straighter so I've got to give a lot of credit to Sean.

"He also sent me a very nice text on Sunday morning that was unrelated to golf. He said something along the lines of just go out there and be the man that your dad taught you to be and be the man that your kids can look up to.

"The relationship that Sean and I have is more than just a player/coach relationship. I regard him as a true friend and I regard him as someone who, if I ever had a question upon golf or upon life, he would be very much at the top of my list.

"He's a very interesting character and very strong mentally and he passes that on as well." Rose has already targeted more major success and Foley believes the confidence he can take from Merion, where he secured victory with two nerveless pars on the daunting 17th and 18th, will be invaluable.

"When you get on the golf course, and you're maybe not sure of yourself, and then you go out there and get it done in a major championship...that is huge," Foley said.

"Now something has changed inside of him that you can't teach, that you can't read about. He wakes up today knowing that in the face of pressure, when his heart is ready to explode through his rib cage, he can perform at the highest level.

"People go back to the start of his career, the 21 missed cuts. But if we look at adversity in the right light, it provides a foundation for growth. He had his dad around, his mom around, and he was just too good, too skilled to be held back forever. There was a lot of life left."