Retief Goosen wants to get his game in tip-top shape at this week’s Wales Open in preparation for a tilt at a third United States Open victory.
The South African missed the cut at the PGA Championship for the fourth time after carding rounds of 76 and 74 at the European Tour’s flagship event last week.
”Wentworth is always a bit of a disaster for me,” world number 10 Goosen told reporters on the eve of the Wales Open. ”My biggest issue there is with the greens — I would say it is probably my least favourite course on the circuit.
”I’m looking forward to playing well and getting my game going before I go off to America. It is all about gearing up for next month’s US Open [at Oakmont].”
Ryder Cup player Robert Karlsson of Sweden shot opening rounds of 61 and 63 on his way to victory in Wales last year.
Briton Phillip Archer narrowly missed out on a 59 when he failed to hole a seven-foot birdie putt on the 18th green in 2006 but Karlsson dismissed the chances of a first official European Tour 59 this week.
”It takes so much to shoot a 59,” Karlsson said. ”As soon as you start thinking about it, you are losing focus on what you have to do.”
The chances of a 59 dimmed when Wednesday’s pro-am was disrupted by heavy rain. Preferred-lies were also being forecast for Thursday’s first round.
Eight-time European number one Colin Montgomerie and Welsh favourite Stephen Dodd withdrew from the pro-am with stomach upsets.
The par-69 Roman Road course, which is adjacent to the 2010 Ryder Cup layout, will be used this week. — Reuters