Goosen Wins First Major Title

The winner of the 101st U.S. Open (total prize of $5 million) was unexpectedly decided in the relatively easy 10th hole in the 18-hole playoff at the Southern Hills CC (par 70, 6973 yard) in Tulsa, Oklahoma on 19th.

The game was virtually over when Retief Goosen, who was leading Mark Brooks (US) by 3 with a birdie in the ninth hole, pushed Brooks who bogeyed in tenth into a five-shot cushion, capturing another birdie in the same hole.

In the tenth hole, Goosen`s iron tee-shot fell on the left rough, and Brooks`s iron tee-shot went on the right rough. But Brooks`s ball was located in the place where he was not able to directly aime at the green with the second shot. Brooks had to lay-up to the fairway 80 yard away from the green, and finally pushed himself into the irrecoverable deficit, making a bogey with a three-on and two putts.

On the other hand, Goosen decided the victory, dropping a 5m downward birdie putt.

With 8 holes remaining to finish the playoff including the `diabolic` 18th hole, it was impossible for Brooks to reverse the flow of the game. Since then, while Goosen`s conservative strategy paid off in most remaining holes with the accurate iron shots, Brooks` aggressive tee-shots continued to miss the fairways, which made even the par-saves difficult.

Brooks, chasing Goosen by 3 with a birdie in the 17th, hung his last hope on the final hole. Unfortunately, Goosen came up short with his second shot, which fell out of the uphill green. But Goosen was in control with his excellent crisis management ability, which he had shown through the four rounds. Goosen rolled the ball to 8m spot away from the hole with the putter instead of the wedge, and did not repeat the drama as it had came to the 18th on Sunday to happen again.

Goosen who showed the usage of the putter, alias `Texas Wedge` to a Texan Brooks in the final hole, earned the title of the U.S. Open which was his first major title, securing the prize money of $900,000 (about 1 billion won).

Ahn Young-Sik ysahn@donga.com