Retief Goosen set himself up on Saturday for a chance to add himself to a select group of seven players who have won the US Open as well as the US Senior Open as he carded a four-under-par 66 to move into third ahead of the final round of the US Senior Open in Omaha, Nebraska.
He climbed 11 places on the leaderboard to move to three-under for the week, five shots behind leader Jim Furyk, who is another player who can achieve that feat should he hold on to win. Goosen is one shot behind the man in second place, Stephen Ames of Canada.
“I didn’t know there was a small list, but it would be great to be on that list,” said Goosen. “Jim Furyk also has a chance to be on that list, so we’re both playing tomorrow for a little bit of pride. He’s a solid player, Jim, as you know. He doesn’t miss many fairways, and that’s key around a US Open course.
Goosen made five birdie and just a single bogey in his third round as his game started warming up after a period during which he has felt he has not been playing particularly well. “I hit the ball probably the best today that I hit it all week,” he said. “In the beginning of the week I hit it pretty awful, but as the week got on, I hit it better and better.
“My expectations were really low in the beginning of the week. I was hitting it so bad the last few weeks, and I was trying everything. I just decided to stick with something, and as the week got on, I started hitting it better and better. My confidence is coming back a little.”
Behind Goosen, Ernie Els had a one-over 71 but still climbed two places on the leaderboard to a share of 29th on four-over.
