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South African professional Retief Goosen has made a name for himself among the biggest players in the world of golf with a series of sensational wins during his long and illustrious career.
Although he has enjoyed a high number of notable victories, his stunning performance at the 2001 US Open is among his most memorable after he beat US opponent Mark Brooks in a nail-biting play-off round.
He was close to losing his chance at the title as he missed a two-foot putt on the final green, but managed to pull himself together and launch a stunning recovery to take the crown over the 1996 PGA Championship winner.
"I've always had not enough self-confidence in myself," he commented following his win. "And I think this week I've shot myself something and I'm looking forward to the rest of the big events coming up now."
Goosen went on to triumph at the US Open for a second time in 2004, where he saw off competition from golfing legend Phil Mickelson to take the crown by two strokes.
Born in Pietersburg, South Africa in 1969, Goosen was introduced to the sport from an early age by his amateur competitor father Theo. Before turning professional in October 1990, the now 42-year-old managed a triumph in that year's South African Amateur Championship.
It was not until Goosen went on to win the European Tour's Qualifying School two years later that he began to enjoy success among some of the sport's biggest names between 1992 and 2000, which - in turn - allowed him to make a name for himself across the pond with his US Open clinch.
The years 2007 and 2008 brought an unexpected career low for Goosen after he failed to hold on to a promising position at the Masters, which was brought on by a slip-up bogey shot on the par-three 12th hole.
Failing to improve on his early performance, the South African tied for second place - with the best position he could muster for the rest of the year coming at the BMW Asian Open, where he finished in a shared 15th position.
This year, Goosen was lucky enough to hit the opening tee-shot of the 2012 season and the highly-prestigious Race to Dubai proceedings at the Africa Open earlier this month.
His drive at the East London Golf Club signalled the fourth edition of the competition, which is made up of a minimum of 46 tournaments spread across 11 months, 25 countries and five continents.
"It is a great honour to be hitting the first tee shot of the season and getting The 2012 Race to Dubai underway, especially as the Africa Open is in my home country and is a tournament I have won in the past," he commented.
Career Wins
2009 – Transitions Championship Africa Open
2008 – Iskander Johor Open
2007 – Qatar Masters
2006 – South African Airways Open / VW China Masters
2005 – The International VW China Masters / German Masters
2004 – US Open / Smurfit European Open / The Tour Championship / Nedbank Challenge
2003 – Trophee Lancome / Chrysler Championship
2002 – Johnnie Walker Classic / Dimension Data Pro Am / Bell South Classic / EMC World Cup
2001 – US Open / Scottish Open / Telefonica Open de Madrid / EMC World Cup
2000 – Trophee Lancome
1999 – French Open 1998 – Alfred Dunhill Cup
1997 – Slaley Hall Northumberland Challenge / Alfred Dunhill Cup
1996 – Slaley Hall Northumberland Challenge
1995 – Philips South African Open