Well, let me tell you about that there 2004 US Open golf thingy. It was a big deal, I reckon. They held it at a place called Shinnecock Hills, yeah, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, in New York. Sounded fancy. Heard it was in June, middle of the month, like the 17th to the 20th.
Now, this fella named Retief Goosen, he won the whole shebang. Second time he won that US Open thing, they said. Beat out some other fella, Mickelson, I think his name was. Mickelson, he was the Masters fella, but Goosen was better that week, I guess. Goosen, he was from South Africa, way over the water, you know. They said he played real good, especially with that putter thing. Kept getting out of trouble, they said.
Goosen, that crafty fella
They said it was the 104th time they did this US Open. Goosen was in the last group, playing with another South African fella, Ernie Els. But Ernie, he didn’t do so good, fell behind quick. Folks were cheering for Mickelson, see, ’cause he’s American, I reckon. But Goosen, he just kept playing his game. Didn’t care about the cheering, just wanted to win, I guess. And he did. Won by two strokes, they said. That’s a lot, right? Like two big steps ahead of everyone else.
- Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, that was the place.
- Goosen won, his second US Open.
- Mickelson came in second, he was the Masters champ.
They kept talking about how Goosen was good at puttin’. That’s when they hit the ball real soft on the green, tryin’ to get it in that little hole. And he was good at gettin’ out of trouble, they said. You know, when they hit the ball in the weeds or the sand, he’d get it out and back on the fairway. Smart fella, that Goosen.
They talked about how Goosen won before, three years earlier. But almost messed it up, they said. Three-putted on the last hole. Can you believe it? From just 12 feet away. But he got it done this time, didn’t let nothin’ stop him. He played like a real champ, they said. And he got that trophy. A big shiny thing, I bet. Probably put it on his mantel, so everyone could see. Deserved it, I reckon. Played the best, that’s all there is to it.
A tough win
Now, I don’t know much about golf, mind you. Seems like a lot of walking around to me. But these fellas, they take it real serious. Practicin’ all the time, I guess. And that Goosen, he must have practiced a lot. To win that thing twice, well, that’s somethin’. He’s older now though, they said, born in 1969. Plays on that Champions Tour now. That’s for the old fellas, I guess. But he’ll always have that 2004 US Open. Nobody can take that away from him.
And that’s the story of that 2004 US Open, best as I can tell it. Goosen won, Mickelson came in second. Shinnecock Hills was the place. And Goosen, he was a real good putter. That’s all I remember folks talking about. It was a big deal, I tell ya. A real big deal.
Tags: [2004 US Open, Retief Goosen, Shinnecock Hills, Golf, Championship, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, South Africa, PGA Tour Champions]
