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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 18, 2004

Retief Goosen

SHINNECOCK HILLS, NEW YORK

MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now on the podium, 4-under for the championship, Retief Goosen.

RETIEF GOOSEN: Well, I played very well yesterday in the rain delay, and just didn't make any putts. And today on my first hole, I made a good birdie hole, and got my eye for the greens a little bit. And from there on I made a few good sand saves and hold a few other good putts for birdies. It was a good round, not as well as yesterday, but the putter was a little bit better today.

Q. Was there a feeling out there, Retief, with the conditions that this is the time to really go out there and try to get a low number, you have to assume someone has to kick up here sometime?

RETIEF GOOSEN: I think even in the way the greens are at the moment the low numbers are not going to be possible. The way they stuck the pins today they knew it was going to be soft, a lot of them are in the front of the green, even if you land next to the hole they seem to bounce on. It's not going to be easier to shoot a low round today. But comparing to yesterday afternoon before the rain came, it is playing easier.

Q. How many total holes did you play today?

RETIEF GOOSEN: 23 holes today. I had to finish five this morning and I had a 20-minute break and off I went.

Q. Was it difficult to turn it around and get back out there? You obviously went out and got off to a heck of a start?

RETIEF GOOSEN: It's not too bad, coming in finishing off, going back out there, you sort of have a little bit of a feel for the greens. You know that into the wind you can pretty much land it pin-high and it will stop on you, downwind you have about a ten yard bounce. Today the wind is in the opposite direction to any of the practice rounds.

Q. Did your experience at Southern Hills give you any confidence going into the weekend? It's been a few years, but do you draw on Southern Hills?

RETIEF GOOSEN: Obviously I know I can do it, and you've just got to hang in there. It's not going to be easier, but there's got to be a bit of luck on your side, too.

Q. (Inaudible.)

RETIEF GOOSEN: I always felt like -- I like links golf, and this course is obviously playing that way. It plays a lot like Southern Hills with elevated tees and the greens up above. It reminds me a bit of that.

Q. What kind of expectations do you have for the weekend?

RETIEF GOOSEN: We're just going to have to wait and see what the weather does. It's supposed to be good on the weekend but more breezy. We'll have to see come Sunday. You're probably looking at under par will win the tournament, but only just under par.

Q. Vijay said he hopes the winds will kick up.

RETIEF GOOSEN: I'm sure it's going to. I think -- I have a feeling if the wind kicks up the better players will come to the top.

Q. On No. 7, both rounds, how have you played that hole, how hard is it?

RETIEF GOOSEN: It is a tough hole. I hit it twice in the practice round and twice now. I teed up and just tried to hit a big cut into the green. You've got to shape it left-to-right and try to bounce it into that bank, that's the only way you're going to stop it. I played -- cut a little 7-iron up there today and pitched it to the right, and Charles hit an 8-iron, which you draw it, and went off to the green left. You've got to really slice it almost into that green to have any chance of stopping it.

Q. You hit the green and 2-putted for par on both days?

RETIEF GOOSEN: Yes.

Q. Is this a course that your game sets up well for?

RETIEF GOOSEN: Yes, I look forward to any tournament. In a U.S. Open you are going to get rewarded for it, it's not going to be that much of a putting competition.

Q. Have you been doing anything different, practicing on anything in particular?

RETIEF GOOSEN: I've been practicing a little bit more the last month more than I do. I've had some time off, as well. Normally when I have time off I don't hit any balls. But this time I've done a bit of practicing, in those weeks off, and tried to sharpen up on the game a little bit.

Q. How about patience, do you consider yourself a patient guy, anyway, is patience much of a key on a U.S. Open course?

RETIEF GOOSEN: Yeah, it is. Any golf tournament you need to be patient and hang in there. But a golf course like this, there's not -- one hole you miss a putt, and the next hole you can't get greedy to make up for it. You play percentage golf, and some of the par-5s you have to get up in two and give yourself birdie chances.

Q. (Inaudible.)

RETIEF GOOSEN: I suppose we all have our flare-ups. I'm pretty patient. I'm not the most patient person in the world, no. But I've learned on the golf course that that's what you've got to do.

End of FastScripts.

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