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| |  Tuesday, 19 June, 2001, 13:03 GMT 14:03 UK SA salutes 'Golden Goose' Goosen's victory has brought praise from all quarters A who's who of South African sporting heroes welcomed Retief Goosen home after his historic victory in the US Open. Goosen's two-shot victory over an 18 hole play-off on Monday against American Mark Brooks brought the 32-year-old his first Major title. "Simply brilliant," said national cricket captain Shaun Pollock. "As sportsmen we have defining moments that shape the rest of our careers and our lives, and this is definitely his.
"When he missed that putt on the last I felt terrible for him, I worried about how he could come back from that. But he was awesome," said Pollock - who himself plays off a handicap of four. Goosen missed a putt from 18 inches at the final hole of the fourth round, which would have secured the crown. Waking the neighbours Pollock's vice-captain, Mark Boucher, was similarly moved. "I woke the neighbours up with my shouting," he said. "His putting was incredible. We all miss some little ones but he was also holing them from two miles. I was so proud watching him." National rugby union captain Andre Vos, who plays off a nine handicap, also followed Goosen's progress on television.
"The way he kept his composure under that kind of pressure, and after what had happened, was inspiring." Loose forward Rassie Erasmus said he had watched the play-off at team-mate Ollie le Roux's house in Durban where the national squad are preparing for the second Test match against France on Saturday. "We were cheering him all the way. He showed fantastic nerve and character, and it gives us our third US Open champion which is more than any other country outside America," Erasmus said. "He just played magnificent golf." Goosen also dominated the front and back page headlines of the nation's newspapers. "Golden Goose irons out Southern Hills," proclaimed the Johannesburg Star. The Cape Times devoted half its front page to the victory headed by "Golden Goose joins the Greats of SA Golf". The story reminded readers that Goosen was just the third South African to win the US Open after Gary Player (1965) and Els (1994 and 1997). | |
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