Retief Goosen emerged from the pack Sunday to win the Sanford International by two shots at Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Goosen opened the week with a pair of 65s but trailed by one each of the first two rounds. The South African surpassed countryman and 36-hole leader Ernie Els on Sunday with a 3-under-par 67, giving him a winning score of 13-under 197.
Goosen played a steady round with four birdies and one bogey for his first win on the PGA Tour Champions since March 2024 and his fourth overall. He credited his iron play in the tournament.
“I hit a lot of greens, only missed five greens, chipped in once, got it up and down a few times today, too,” Goosen said. “So, if you can avoid the bogeys and make the birdies, you can creep up the top.”
He also noted an equipment change, with a new putter working well on what he called firm greens.
“Last week, I putted so bad, or a couple of weeks ago,” Goosen said. “I got myself a new putter this week and suddenly I’m making some putts again. So’s it’s amazing how this game can sometimes, just seeing something different, start making some putts.”
Bo Van Pelt shot a 68 to come in second at 11 under. Els began his day with three straight bogeys to give away the lead, and his final-round 73 dropped him into a tie for third at 8 under with Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke (68).
Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez (71) placed fifth at 7 under and remains in pole position in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup race. Goosen climbed three spots to No. 9 in the points standings, and Els improved one spot to No. 4.
Back-to-back birdies at Nos. 13-14 gave Van Pelt a share of the lead with Goosen, as they played together in the final group with Els. Goosen drew back in front by birdieing the par-5 16th, set up by a stellar chip onto the green and just a few feet from the pin.
Van Pelt bogeyed the next hole, giving Goosen plenty of cushion to finish off the victory.
“Bo made some monster putts, especially the one on 10. It must’ve been a 60-foot putt he made there for birdie to get within one,” Goosen said. “And then, (Van Pelt) made another great one for par on 12, so he hung in there. You know, coming down the stretch, it seemed to just get more and more windy. And then on 16, he missed it left, I missed it right, I was able to run it past the water and at least have a lot easier third shot than he did. So, it was great to get it up and down and at least give myself a one-shot advantage going into the last two.”
Goosen thought the pair were headed to a playoff with the way they playing.
“I thought we were probably going to be 13 under or something like that each coming down 18,” Goosen said. “But, you know, it turned around on 16 and 17 for me. Next time, it’s somebody else’s turn.”
–Field Level Media
