US Open: Retief Goosen's new life began yesterday when he returned to England and wife Tracy, first of all to celebrate his US Open victory - and then to discuss just how much he should cash in on it. The South African (32), knows that in addition to the instant £676,000 sterling reward for his win in Tulsa, all sorts of money-spinning doors have opened.
"It all depends on what he wants, but there are huge opportunities," said Guy Kinnings, manager of both Goosen and Colin Montgomerie. "It can certainly be measured in seven figures."
The European circuit has been Goosen's base since 1993 and now he is Order of Merit leader for the first time. But amongst all the benefits of capturing his first major is an instant five-year US Tour exemption. "I have to decide where to play, but I think I will definitely still support the European Tour," he stated. "London has been my home for some time now."
Having missed the halfway cut in seven of his previous nine majors in America, there is no guarantee of success if he chooses to cross the Atlantic. "I've always known my swing was good, but the mental side has not been that great in the past," said Goosen yesterday. "I've never had enough self-confidence, but I've now learnt that I can play under pressure and win. We were all shaken up a bit by what happened on Sunday, but I had the chance to relax and reflect and give myself a lot of confidence talk."
Belgian sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout went into Goosen's hotel room a couple of hours after the 18th green nightmare. "The Retief Goosen I first started working with two-and-a-half years ago would have had no chance in the play-off," he said. "It would have been bye-bye baby. If you think negatively you become negative, but if there is enough self-belief you can conquer any negatives."
US Tour: Tiger Woods is certainly not brooding over his failed bid to win a fifth consecutive major at the US Open. The world number one made that clear within an hour of tying for 12th place at the Southern Hills Country Club.
"That's the great thing about our game, once your week is over, it's done," said Woods, who will play in this week's $3.5 million Buick Classic at Westchester Country Club. "And you can start all over again. That's what I'm hoping to do next week, and hopefully I can give myself a chance on the back nine on Sunday."
Woods is making only his second appearance at the Buick Classic, having tied for 43rd place in 1997. Five of the world's top 10 players, including number two Ernie Els and number three Vijay Singh, both twice winners of the event, are entered.
Mark Brooks, who lost to Goosen in Monday's 18-hole US Open play-off, is also scheduled to play.
