Justin Rose believes he is "trending in the right direction" of a second major title, despite the disappointment of failing to convert a winning position in last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Rose went into the final round at Firestone Country Club in a share of the lead after a brilliant third round of 63, but could only card a closing two-over-par 72 to finish tied third.

However, that means the 35-year-old has finished sixth, fourth and third in his last three events as he looks to add the US PGA Championship title to the US Open he won at Merion in 2013.

"I played really well last week but obviously there is the frustration of not finishing it off," said Rose said at Whistling Straits yesterday.

"You go into the final round tied for the lead with another great player like Jim Furyk and you certainly never count your chickens like it's going to be an easy walk in the park on a Sunday.

"There were obviously certain parts of my game that highlighted they need a little bit of attention and that's what I focused on these last couple of days.

"But I feel like I'm trending in the right direction. Tied sixth at the Open, tied fourth, tied third - I'm moving towards the winner's circle so I'm coming into here with a lot of confidence."

Rose missed the cut when the US PGA was held at Whistling Straits in 2004 and 2010 and failed to break par in any round, but feels he is a far better player than he was five years ago.

"I don't remember a lot about 2004 and 2010. I think I'm right in saying there wasn't a lot to remember," added Rose, who was second in the Masters in April and won the Zurich Classic in New Orleans a fortnight later.

"In 2010 I had a good season up to that point and won a couple of times during the summer.

"And I think I came in here maybe a little burnt out, sort of trying to readjust to having had such a strong summer and getting a couple of wins under my belt. I felt like I just didn't quite have that resolve to play well in the year's last major.

"Whereas my consistency feels like it's so much better than in those years past. I feel like I'm getting stronger as the year is going on. I would say last week that is as good as I've played all year from tee to green. I drove the ball particularly well at Firestone, which was a huge advantage.

"Sunday was an awkward day, really. I'd been putting quite solidly all week. The three-putt (for par) on the second kind of set the tone a little bit, maybe got me a bit too tentative for the rest of the round and I wasn't able to shake it. I really needed to make a mid-range putt, make a birdie, get things back on track and wasn't able to do that.

"At the Open Championship I switched to a different putter, which worked well for the short-term, as often these changes do. But I think I was beginning to fall into some different habits with it and was beginning to swing too quickly to the inside, which was making it hard for me to find my line on the way through.

"I'm looking at going back to my old putter this week. My old putter is definitely a putter that would suit these greens that are rolling very pure."