Retief Goosen

With over US$27 million in career earnings, two US Open titles and 44 professional wins, Retief Goosen has guaranteed his place as one of the greats of the game. The problem is that he’s not quite done yet. At 43 years old, there’s still life in ‘the Goose’ and, having recovered from a string of injuries, he is hoping to regain the form that kept him in the top 10 of the World Ranking for over 250 weeks.

The early 40s, it seems, are an odd time in a golfer’s career – it’s not quite the twilight years, but you can certainly start to see the shadows lengthening and, as much as you’re hoping for a few more big wins, you can’t help but ponder the fairways and the riches of the senior tour.

Retief, how’s the state of your game at the moment?

Much better thanks. Anything else? (Laughs) My game is slowly on its way back. My health is a lot better and I’ve been working hard on my back over the past three months. If you have a healthy back and can practise regularly, you can start playing better and I’ve not been able to do that since April last year. But I’ve worked hard with [physio] Cornel Driessen and I must say that since the SA Open my game has really started to come back.

And the belly putter seems to suit you – it’s working well?

Yeah, the putter worked really well last year, but only because I missed a lot of greens! I mean I topped the putting stats purely because I’ve been chipping and putting well after missing too many greens. I’m lucky my short game has kept me alive! I putted nicely in the Africa Open and the Joburg Open so hopefully I’ll keep that going.

You’re getting yourself into contention without quite closing it out. Is it a just a matter of needing to get over the line?

Yes, it’s a question of trusting yourself again when you haven’t been in contention for a while and you hit a bad shot at the wrong time. In the Africa Open I had a chance to win but I just didn’t hit my irons well enough in the final round to put myself into a position to make enough putts. Then in the Joburg Open I didn’t feel too well over the weekend [Goosen suffered from a stomach bug] and lost momentum.

Going back to your injuries, it seems like it’s been a couple of years now that you’ve had some sort of ailment, from leg to toes to eyes and back. Are you fully patched up now and ready to go?

I think so, yes. I’m trying to behave and not be too wild [laughs], not too many extreme sports! Although, I wasn’t even in the water when I hurt myself on the boat – I pulled the trailer over my toe. So yes, the last few years have felt like one injury after another, which is disappointing, but really since the South African Open last year I feel like I’m in one piece and that I can start playing again.

Is the confidence back as well?

I need to work on the confidence a little bit more now, trust my swing a bit more. But when you haven’t practised much it isn’t easy.

As we sit here, you’re really chatty and personable, yet on course there’s a ‘game face’ and you don’t show much emotion. Does it bother you that people assume that the on-course Retief Goosen is the real you?

Well, that’s going to be the case with almost any pro. There are a few players that jump up and down on the course as well as off the course. I’m one of those who don’t jump up and down on the course but probably do off the course – and maybe that’s why I’m full of injuries! But every player has his own way of getting around and for me that’s my comfort zone. Unfortunately people don’t get to see what you’re really like and they judge you by what they see on TV.