Goosen coasts to 8 shot win

US Open champion Retief Goosen has easily won the $2.5 million Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth by eight shots. A one-over final round of 73 was enough for Goosen who had set up an enormous overnight lead with a course record 63 yesterday.

After his sensational round yesterday, it seemed just a matter of Goosen walking 6375 metres of Lake Karrinyup today. But a double bogey on the first had his followers a little nervous.

The superb South African, consolidated however, and didn’t drop a shot again until the 15th, where he found the water. He picked that up on the 16th only to falter slightly on the final hole.

With such a big buffer, Goosen left the woods in the bag, sacrificing a low score to ensure there is no chance of him losing his grip on the title.

Eight shots adrift was Swede Pierre Fulke, who saved his best golf for the tournament until the last day. The Swede finished his tournament by sinking a long birdie putt on the 18th to finish with a sensational round of 66. If not for two ‘lip-out’ putts today he would have finished much closer.

Sergio Garcia finished a further shot back. After shooting a 34 on the outward nine, Garcia looked assured of second but Fulke’s great finish and a bogey from Garcia on the 16th meant the Spaniard had to be content for third prizemoney.

For Goosen’s and Garcia’s playing partner, Ernie Els, it was a frustrating day, shooting as many birdies as bogeys to finish fourth on two-under.

One shot back in equal fifth were Englishmen Simon Dyson and Anthony Wall as well as Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin who shot a four-under round of 68 today

Equal eighth and at even-par were Nick Dougherty and Mathias Gronberg.

The leading Australians, Wayne Riley and Peter Fowler, came in at one-over. Riley could have finished much higher on the leaderboard if not for bogeys on the 16th and 18th.

On the same score were first round leader Thongchai Jaidee and Nick Faldo. Faldo looked to be struggling after a double bogey on 13th but a superb approach shot at the last to set up birdie got him back to plus-one for the tournament.

Australian’s Adam Scott and Craig Parry have both had tournaments they’d rather forget. Scott finished 12-over while Parry finished two-over for the tournament and even for his final round.

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