Retief Goosen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Retief Goosen |
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Goosen in 2008
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Retief Goosen |
| Nickname | The Goose, Iceman |
| Born | 3 February 1969 Pietersburg, South Africa |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
| Nationality |  South Africa |
| Residence | Polokwane, South Africa Virginia Water, England Orlando, Florida, U.S. Great Brak River, South Africa |
| Spouse |
Tracy Goosen
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1990 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions |
| Former tour(s) | European Tour PGA Tour Sunshine Tour |
| Professional wins | 39 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 7 |
| European Tour | 14 |
| Asian Tour | 5 |
| Sunshine Tour | 6 |
| PGA Tour of Australasia | 1 |
| Champions Tour | 3 |
| Other | 9 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 2) |
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| The Masters Tournament | 2nd/T2: 2002, 2007 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 2001, 2004 |
| The Open Championship | T5: 2005, 2009 |
| PGA Championship | T6: 2005 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 2019 |
| European Tour Order of Merit winner |
2001, 2002 |
| European Tour Golfer of the Year |
2001 |
| PGA Tour Champions Rookie of the Year |
2019 |
| PGA Tour Champions Byron Nelson Award |
2019 |
Retief Goosen (born February 3, 1969) is a professional golfer from South Africa. He plays on the PGA Tour Champions. Retief won the U.S. Open golf tournament twice, in 2001 and 2004. He was the top player on the European Tour in 2001 and 2002. From 2001 to 2007, he was one of the top ten golfers in the world. In 2019, he was added to the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and a Shocking Event
Retief Goosen was born in Pietersburg, South Africa. His dad, Theo Goosen, was a real estate agent and amateur golfer. Theo introduced Retief to golf when he was very young. His father was strict and wanted his kids to work hard.
In 1987, something amazing happened to Retief. He was playing golf with a friend during a light rain. Suddenly, lightning struck Retief! His friend, Henri Potgieter, was knocked down. When he got up, he saw Retief lying on the ground. His clothes were burned off his body.
Henri thought Retief was dead. He screamed for help. Luckily, other golfers nearby came running. They picked Retief up and put him in a car. Retief's shoes had fallen apart, and his watch band had melted. He still has a scar on his wrist from this event. He couldn't wear shoes for weeks. But just a few weeks later, he was back on the golf course! Retief doesn't remember what happened, but his father believed it was a sign of good things to come.
Becoming a Professional Golfer
Retief Goosen was a great amateur golfer. In 1990, he won the South African Amateur Championship. This was the biggest amateur golf competition in his country. Later that year, he became a professional golfer.
Playing in Europe
In 1992, Retief joined the European Tour. He played well for many years. But 2001 was his breakthrough year. He won the U.S. Open in America. He almost lost, but he won in a playoff against Mark Brooks.
After that, he won the Scottish Open. He ended 2001 with three wins. He was the top player on the European Tour in both 2001 and 2002. He was the first non-European to win this award.
Success in America
Retief continued to win on both the PGA Tour and European Tour for several years. In 2004, he won his second U.S. Open. He was amazing at putting that day, making 11 one-putts in the final round. This win helped him reach his highest world ranking of 3rd.
From 2001 to 2005, he won at least one PGA Tour event each year. He won his seventh PGA Tour event in 2009 at the Transitions Championship. Retief was known for his calm style of play. This earned him the nickname "The Iceman."
Later Career and Injuries
In 2007, Retief won the Qatar Masters. He also tied for second place at The Masters. But after that, he had some struggles. He said he was changing his golf swing and lost confidence.
In 2008, he had eye surgery and had to miss some tournaments. He also had some ups and downs with his game. But he finished 2008 with a win at the Iskandar Johor Open. This meant he had won a professional golf event every year since 1995!
In 2009, Retief started strong with two wins. He won the Africa Open Golf Challenge and the Transitions Championship. He worked hard on his fitness and golf swing. This helped him play much better. He had many top finishes that year, including a tie for 5th at The Open Championship.
In 2010, Retief continued to play well. He had many top-10 finishes. But then he broke his toe playing with his children. He also injured his hand. These injuries caused him to miss some big tournaments. He still finished the year with 10 top-10 finishes.
In 2011, Retief had back injuries. This caused him to miss more tournaments. His world ranking dropped outside the top 50 for the first time in over ten years. He continued to deal with injuries in 2012 and 2013.
Playing on the Champions Tour
In 2019, Retief turned 50 years old. This meant he could play on the PGA Tour Champions. He also entered the World Golf Hall of Fame that year. On July 14, 2019, he won his first tournament on the Champions Tour. It was a major event called the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship. He won by two strokes.
In 2020, Retief was named the PGA Tour Champions Rookie of the Year for 2019. In 2022, he won the Hoag Classic. He won another tournament, the Galleri Classic, in 2024.
Personal Life
Retief Goosen is known as "The Iceman" because he stays very calm on the golf course. People also call him "The Goose." His mother believes his calm nature comes from being struck by lightning when he was younger.
Retief has played in the Nelson Mandela Invitational in South Africa. This event honors former South African President Nelson Mandela. Retief has won this event twice with different partners.
Retief Goosen also owns his own vineyard in South Africa. It's located high up in the mountains. He started growing grapes in 2005. He named his wine The Goose. His wines have won awards!
Other Ventures
Golf Courses Designed by Goosen
Retief Goosen has helped design several golf courses:
- Lagoon Bay – George, South Africa
- Lizard Point – Johannesburg, South Africa
- Legends – Mokopane, South Africa
He also has a course being built in China:
- Dayi Smokey Mountain – China
Helping Others
Retief is involved in charity work:
- MAD (Make a Difference Charity): He is a patron for this group. It helps talented but less fortunate South African children get an education.
- SADGA (South African Disabled Golf Association): Retief is also a patron for SADGA. This group helps disabled golfers enjoy the game. It also offers clinics for disabled children to learn golf and find job opportunities.
Major Wins
Retief Goosen has won two major championships:
- 2001 U.S. Open
- 2004 U.S. Open
He has also won one senior major championship:
- Bridgestone Senior Players Championship in 2019
Team Appearances
Retief Goosen has represented South Africa in many team golf events:
- World Cup: 1993, 1995, 2000, 2001 (winners), 2007
- Alfred Dunhill Cup: 1995, 1996, 1997 (winners), 1998 (winners), 1999, 2000
- Alfred Dunhill Challenge (representing Southern Africa): 1995 (winners)
- Presidents Cup (International team): 2000, 2003 (tie), 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011
- Tavistock Cup (representing Lake Nona): 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (winners), 2008, 2009 (winners), 2010 (winners)
Images for kids
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Goosen looking over a putt at the 2006 Chrysler Championship
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Retief Goosen at the 2008 Players Championship
See Also
In Spanish: Retief Goosen para niños
- List of golfers with most European Tour wins
- List of golfers with most Asian Tour wins
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
- List of African golfers
