With the news that his three-week old daughter Ella was in hospital with bronchitis, Retief Goosen wanted to pack his bags and fly home to England on Wednesday night. But his wife, Tracy, encouraged him to play the tournament and despite a severe cold that had been troubling him for some time and the monster Gary Player Country Club course, Goosen went on to capture his first Nedbank Golf Challenge title on Sunday.
The South African finished with a seven-under-par total of 281 to end up six shots clear of compatriot Ernie Els and Australian Stuart Appleby.
Americans Chris DiMarco and Jim Furyk were joint fourth on level par 288’s while Englishman Lee Westwood, who led going into the last round, totally imploded on
Sunday with a round of 80, to finish three-over for the tournament.
Zimbabwe’s Nick Price was another who faded away on Sunday, shooting a six-over 78 to complete the tournament with a five-over 293.
Goosen came close last year when he lost a playoff to Spain’s Sergio Garcia.
In a total reversal of fortune, Garcia compounded to finish last this year with a 15-over-par 303.
The victory, which brings prize money of $1,2-million (about R7-million) to the winner, caps a great year for Goosen, who also won his second major at the US Open, the European Tour Championship and the European Open.
‘After the pro-am dinner on Wednesday night my wife called to say that she and Ella were in hospital,†said Goosen.
‘I just wanted to pack my bags and go home but Tracy convinced me to stay. That obviously has been on my mind but the good news is that they will be out either tonight or tomorrow.â€
The world number four admitted after the first round that he had not been feeling too well himself. ‘The medics here have done a great job and from the back nine on Saturday I started to feel good again.â€
He also had to deal with a course that was more demanding than even before.
‘This is one of the toughest courses we have played on all year. The course is now completely different. The greens are running, you have such small landing areas and you have to deal with the wind.
‘When I woke up this morning and saw how hard the wind was blowing, I knew it was going to be a testing day. I felt it was important to get off to a good start.â€
Goosen had already demonstrated this year when winning the US Open at the much criticised Shinnecock Hills, that he was at his best under these conditions.
‘I like it when it’s really tough and I need to grind it out. The better golfers tend to come through under those conditions,†he added.
He certainly got the start he wanted, with a superb five-under 31 on the front nine.
He birdied the par-five second when he chipped from off the green to within five feet, the par-four sixth with a 15-foot putt and the par three seventh when he hit an eight iron off the tee to within a foot of the cup.
On the par five ninth his second shot landed some seven feet from the pin and it was an easy eagle for ‘the Gooseâ€.
‘I was about 180 metres from the hole and that is a comfortable distance for me. I pulled out an eight-iron and decided to go for it.â€
Goosen had started the day on four under par, one shot behind Westwood. The Englishman stayed with Goosen until the par-four eighth, when Westwood made a triple bogey after hitting his tee shot into the trees. The eagle on nine allowed the South African to extend his advantage and he turned at nine-under, five clear of Westwood.
‘From then on I realised it was just a matter of staying ahead. I made a lot of mistakes but I knew nobody would make a run at me. I just had to stay away from the big numbers,†said Goosen.
He bogeyed 10 after his two-iron missed the green right and dropped another at 11. But on 12 he sank a 35-footer for birdie and that renewed his confidence.
Goosen dropped again on 13 but once again kept ahead with a birdie at the par-five 14th after he chipped to within four-feet of the cup.
Goosen did bogey the last hole but he was so far clear that it no bearing on the outcome.
None of the other golfers managed to threaten the Goosen lead with Appleby and DiMarco virtually treading water during the final round.
Els had another mercurial round comprising five birdies and four bogeys but the late charge that many were expecting failed to materialise. – Sapa