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Goosen goes for glory in Korea

Two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa will aim to go one better on his compatriot Ernie Els when he headlines the US$700,000 Kolon-Hana Bank Korea Open starting on Thursday.

The unassuming Goosen, ranked sixth in the world, will start as firm favourite at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club where other contenders include Korea's Kevin Na, big-hitting US PGA Tour regular Bubba Watson and the Asian Tour's leading stars including Korea's Charlie Wi and last year's number one Thaworn Wiratchant.

Goosen arrived in Seoul on the back of a recent runner-up finish at the BMW International Open in Munich, losing in a three-way play-off to Sweden's Henrik Stenson.

With five other top-10s posted on the US PGA Tour this season, Goosen, whose last victory was in December's South African Airways Open, intends to live up to his top billing in Korea and lift a first title of the year.

It would mean bettering his compatriot Els, who finished third in the Korean Open in 2004. Els was also the runner-up at the Barclays Singapore Open a fortnight ago after losing in a play-off to Adam Scott of Australia.

"It's a good course here. You need to drive it well and while there's not a lot of rough out there, it can be tricky as you tend to get 'fliers' from out of it. We'll need to control our distances very well from the rough. The greens are also very good and I expect scoring to be on the lower side than it has been in the past here," said Goosen.

Standing in Goosen's way includes the talented Na, who is looking to rebuild his season after fracturing a finger on his right hand earlier in the year. Na first rose to prominence in 2002 when he won the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia in Malaysia and subsequently earned his US PGA Tour card in 2004 and enjoyed two runner-up finishes last season.

Reigning number one Thaworn will carry the region's charge along with local favourite Wi, who is currently second on the UBS Order of Merit.

Thailand's Chapchai Nirat and Prom Meesawat, Australian duo Unho Park and Brad Kennedy, India's Amandeep Johl, Singapore's Mardan Mamat and American Anthony Kang, who are all ranked in the top-20 of the UBS Order of Merit, are tipped to challenge.

Mardan is in good form as he qualified for the World Cup in Barbados with partner Lam Chih Bing when they topped the qualifier in Kuala Lumpur last weekend.

"I am enjoying my game right now and I am feeling confident heading into Korea. But as I’ve mentioned before, I will take it at my own pace and not rush into things. The field in Korea is strong so I have to be focused if I wish to get a good result," said Mardan, the first Singaporean to win a co-sanctioned European Tour event following his success at the Osim Singapore Masters in March.

This season's winners including Australian Kane Webber, Suk Jong-yul of Korea and Thailand's Chinarat Phadungsil are also in this week's field along with Korean veteran Choi Gwang-soo who is the title holder.

The Korean Open is the 21st leg of the 2006 Asian Tour Schedule.



September 20, 2006