Goose back in swing of things

RETIEF: REALISTIC ABOUT GOALS AFTER TWO-YEAR INJURY Former world top-tenner makes big return to professional game at SA Open on Thursday.

crippling back injury clipped the wings of Retief Goosen over the last two years but hopefully that’s now a thing of the past.

The 44-year-old will tee up at the Glendower Golf Club this week when the South African Open Championship begins on Thursday and he’s looking to put in a decent showing.

“It would be a good comeback to win the SA Open,” the two-time Major winner said during the Gary Player Invitational at Sun City on the weekend.

“It’s been a tough couple of years and I was pretty much lying down for nine months but I’m feeling great. The back’s feeling good and I still have a little bit of fi repower left. I can still get it out when I want to,” he added.

“I’m actually feeling good now. I’m really looking forward to getting back and practising and fi nding some form.”

Goosen’s world ranking plummeted to No 261 as a result of his injury and he’ll face a few challenges at Glendower – not least from defending champion and world No 3 Henrik Stenson.

“In general, the SA Open has been pretty good the last few years since it became a co-sanctioned event. I’m sure the field will be strong again,” he said of the quality of names tackling the parklands layout.

“Glendower is a great course. I hear they’ve really narrowed it up. It’s going to be long and tight so it sounds like a good setup for the SA Open,” the three-time winner of the world’s second oldest national championship said.

Goosen is already planning a full schedule for 2014 and is set to feature in the United States in the hope of getting back to winning ways.

“I’m planning on playing a full schedule next year in America. I’ll be getting out there, tuning my game pretty soon and trying to play some decent golf again. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Heading into the 103rd edition of the SA Open, it would appear that Goosen still has the determination to win events but, for now, he remains realistic with his goals.

“My goal is just to start playing consistently again – to start hitting consistent shots. At the moment, I’m hitting a good one, bad one and so it follows. When you play well you’re consistent,” he said.