Retief Goosen Profile

Retief Goosen is another of South Africa’s world class golfers that has proven the country’s worth in consistently producing winning athletes. Retief Goosen was born in Polokwane where he was introduced to the wonderful game at the age of eleven by his father, a real estate with a 10 handicap at the time. The Retief Goosen profile took a bit of a dip (understandably) when he was struck by lightning at the age of sixteen. He seems to be plagued with bizarre accidents since he was also involved in a skiing accident in Switzerland that left him with a broken arm. This was just before his 1999 season. Thankfully he met up with Jos Vantistiphout, the famous sports psychologist from Belgium, who helped him to go on to win the Novotel Perrier Open de France. In the same year Retief Goosen only just missed out on a chance to equal the record of 11 individual wins in the Alfred Dunhill Cup set up by Greg Norman. China’s Wu Xiang-Bing beat him in an exciting race for victory. When Retief Goosen played Sergio Garcia in the first round of the Cisco World Match Play of the same year Retief Goosen played a 29 on the first 9 to beat Garcia. Perhaps 1999 wasn’t as bad as it appeared it may have been when he was playing with a cast on his arm. The Goose went on to win the Trophee Lancôme tournament in France in 2000 and 2002. In 2001 Retief Goosen even went on to win the Volvo Order of Merit title in Europe, being the first South African to do this since 1975. That was the year the European Tour awarded him an Honourary Life Membership. 2004 wasn’t that bad either. The Goose was made an Honourary Life Member of the Southern Africa PGA Tour and picked up the prestigious Royal Bank of Scotland Shot of the month in June in a game that took him to the podium on the US Open Championship. The only South African to do so other than Ernie else and Gary Player. Retief Goosen was also chosen as the European Tour Golfer of the Month for November/December and the following year saw him receive the Compleat Golfer Player of the Year award for 2005.

Of course Retief Goosen turned professional in 1990 after he had won the South African Amateur Championship in that same year. Since then he went from strength to strength to win two US Opens (2001 and 2004) and topped the European Tour Order of Merit Money List (2001 and 2002.) Goosen’s winning ways began in 1995 after which he has won internationally every year. This makes him one of the most consistent players in the world especially since he has also won a PGA Tour event for every year since 2001. Retief Goosen is regularly in the top five list amongst the best of the Official World Golf Rankings. 2006 gave him his best place yet at third. One point to mention in the profile of Retief Goosen, or “The Iceman” as he is known on the U.S. PGA Tour is that he is an extremely relaxed and complacent player. His calm strokes and controlled temperament served him well on his way to picking up the titles. His reputation culminated and really took off after he expertly mastered the Shinnecock Hills’ incredibly fast greens in the 2004 U.S. Open.

The Retief Goosen profile would not be complete without mentioning his happy family life. He happily lives in Sunninghill in England with his wife Tracy. They got married in 2001 and have two lovely children called Leo and Ella. He enjoys Water Skiing and is very passionately South African. His favourite food is Pasta, movie is Shawshank Redemption and tournament is the Masters. If you are ever down in George, keep your eye open too, you may just spot him there doing a bit of R&R since that is his favourite holidaying destination.