Goosen planning full US schedule
Retief Goosen says he is planning to play a full schedule on the US PGA Tour in the 2014 season.
FILE PICTURE: Retief Goosen (Professional Golfer) tees off during Round 2 of the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola at The Lost City Golf Course on November 17, 2013 in Sun City, South Africa. Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images.
“I’ll be getting out there and tuning my game pretty soon and try and play some decent golf again,” Goosen said at Sun City on Sunday.
He comes off a disappointing 2013, having spent most of the year battling with a back injury.
He had surgery on a disc in his lower back, which had been causing spasms and had made it almost impossible for him to walk 18 holes.
The two-time US Open winner endured a lengthy period off his feet in a frustratingly slow recovery.
“It’s been a pretty tough last couple of years,” said Goosen.
“I was pretty much lying down for nine months in the last few years, but now I’m feeling great.
“The back is feeling good and I still have a little bit of firepower and I can still get it out there a little bit when I want to.”
Goosen will make a return to competitive golf on local shores at the South African Open at Glendower Golf Club on Thursday, but he was not confident his game had returned just yet.
“I need to find the fairways at the moment, I’m hitting it a bit sideways,” he said.
The layoff period for Goosen has resulted in his world ranking drop to 261st, and making the cut at his national open would be a good start.
– Sapa
