Ever since turning professional after a stellar amateur career, Retief Goosen has often
been compared to his compatriot Ernie Els, and the debate concerning who might achieve the
most in golf has been a hotly debated topic.
A pair of US Open titles has ensured Goosen’s status as one of the game’s
greats, and his career record at home and abroad is the envy of many Tour pros.
After reaching a career-high third position in the world rankings, 2007 and 2008 were
disappointing years by Goosen’s high standards, explained by him as being due to
swing changes that he had made, and for the first time in years seeking the advice of a
swing coach.
To add to his on-course woes, his controversial comments regarding Tiger Woods’s
injury (he suggested that Woods was feigning the seriousness of his knee problems during
the 2008 US Open) created something of a stir in the media, but he immediately apologised
explaining that he was not being serious when he made the offending remarks.
Late in 2008, Goosen’s game was on the rise, and after replacing Vijay Singh in
the Asian Tour’s Iskandar Johor Open, he bounced back with a victory in the
tournament, extending his succession of at least one professional win in every calendar
year since 1995.
Goosen then confirmed his return to form with victory in this year’s Africa Open
with a 65 in the final round, and it wasn’t long before he was again holding a
trophy, adding to his tally of PGA Tour victories by outpacing the field at the
Transitions Championship. After this win, his seventh on the PGA Tour, he credited Gary
Player with inspiring him to rededicate himself, including a new diet and fitness
programme.
Having moved back up the world rankings to 22, Goosen continued to produce encouraging
results. He finished 16th in the US Open at Bethpage Black, and the following week in the
BMW Invitational he led the field after three rounds, and only a few missed putts during
the final round prevented him from collecting his 15th European Tour title.
After a week off, he was again in contention in the Barclays Scottish Open, where he
led by two shots at the halfway stage after a brilliant second round 63 before finishing
in a tie for sixth. In The Open Championship at Turnberry he recorded his third top-10
finish in as many starts – his fifth place was only two strokes short of the mark set
by Stewart Cink and Tom Watson.
Suddenly every time Goosen competed he threatened to win, and was only denied another
PGA Tour victory, in the RBC Canadian Open, when Nathan Green triumphed in a playoff,
after he and Goosen had completed the regulation play in 18-under par.
Another close call, in the Deutsche Bank Championship, followed when Goosen held the
lead after 54 holes with Sean O’Hair and Steve Stricker.
Fans will see a fitter, stronger, but no less laid back Retief Goosen back at the Gary
Player Country Club, and on current form, he will surely be near the top of the
leaderboard, having triumphed at Sun City before. | 
