South African · Klerksdorp, South Africa · Born 3 February 1969South African golfer who headed the European Tour Order of Merit twice; not eligible for the Ryder Cup, so represented the International team at the Presidents Cup instead.
Retief Goosen was born on 3 February 1969 in Pietersburg (now Polokwane), South Africa, the son of Theo Goosen, a real estate agent and amateur golfer who introduced Retief to the game and took a notably strict approach to raising his children. At 15, Goosen was struck by lightning while golfing with his cousin, an explosion so severe it welded his irons together, melted his shoes, and burned the clothes from his body; he spent six days in hospital and emerged, by his own admission, a quieter and more subdued person. Goosen won 30 amateur titles in South Africa before turning professional in 1990, winning Sunshine Tour Rookie of the Year honours the following season, and went on to win the European Tour's Order of Merit in both 2001 and 2002, becoming the first non-European to achieve back-to-back titles. Goosen, nicknamed "The Goose" for his famously placid demeanour, won the U.S. Open in both 2001 and 2004, and spent over 250 weeks inside the world's top ten between 2001 and 2007. Goosen was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019, and has continued competing on the PGA Tour Champions, where he won Rookie of the Year in 2019, also running his own vineyard in South Africa and producing wine under "The Goose" label.
Clutch putting to win two U.S. Opens (2001, 2004)
How They Played
Methodical and steady approach with exceptional putting skills
Lasting Impact
One of South Africa's greatest golfers, known for his calm demeanor and precise putting
Career Honours
- U.S. Open 2001, 2004
- European Tour Order of Merit 2001, 2002
- World Golf Hall of Fame 2019
South African Athletes