CARMEL, Ind. – Justin Rose is the defending champion of this week’s BMW Championship, but he hardly feels like he’s carrying a target on his back.

“Obviously guys defend all the time,” he said. “There’s always a defending champion, and I never think about that player.”

Being the defending champion this week is a bit strange, giving that Rose is not defending on the course he won. Last year's BMW Championship was at Cog Hill outside Chicago; this week's tournament is at Crooked Stick outside Indianapolis. It's a course that none of the players in the field have any TOUR history on.

"I think this week more than any other, we have to learn this Crooked Stick golf course," Rose said. "Not many guys have played it before, so the real competitor is the golf course."

Still, Rose -- who won the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship earlier this year and ranks 22nd in FedExCup points -- can draw upon some good vibes around here.

"You look around, there's posters of yourself out there," Rose said. "There's a particularly nice one with Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Tom Watson and myself, so something I had a bit of fun with this week."

Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and Rickie Fowler tee off at 12:43 p.m. ET in Thursday’s first round. Click here to follow that group on Shot Tracker