RETIEF GOOSEN CLICKETY-CLICKS IN NORTHERN 

TRUST OPEN WITH FIVE-UNDER-PAR ROUND

FROM GOLF.COM
By Jason Sobel

LOS ANGELES – Retief Goosen just turned 46 years old. He’s more than a decade removed from his second of two major victories and a half-decade from his last US PGA Tour triumph.
But in an era increasingly dominated by players nearly half his age, the South African proved Thursday that he’s still got plenty of game.
Goosen posted a 5-under 66 in the opening round of the Northern Trust Open, carding seven birdies against just two bogeys.
“Today was nice, I hit a lot of good shots that ended up good, which helps,” he explained with a smile. “But that was mainly the putter today. I made a lot of good putts, a couple of good par saves here and there, like I say, on No. 2 and 8 was good par saves from about 10, 12 feet. So those sort of putts keeps your round going.”
Goosen insisted that he played well during a 53^rd-place finish at Torrey Pines in his most recent start but just got unlucky. On Thursday, the luck went his way.
“I would say I've not been putting so well. I putted pretty poorly at the Humana. But then I changed the loft on my putter a little bit. I took a little bit of loft off it and it seems to sit a little better. Like I say, at Torrey, I felt like I was starting to make a few good strokes. Although I wasn't making much, but just felt like the putter was sitting nice for me, and today especially, you get those days when you put a putter down it's aiming where you want it to go.”

Vijay Singh, another of the "older brigade." and Nick Watney were sharing the lead with Goosen on 66 before the end of play for the day.

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