US TOUR CANADIAN OPEN:AUSTRALIAN MATHEW Goggin hopes to take his positive experience from a strong showing in the Britsih Open Championship into this week's Canadian Open.
Just four days after finishing joint fourth at Turnberry, his best finish in only seven major appearances, the 35-year-old tees it up at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario.
Goggin began the final day on Scotland’s west coast as a serious contender but, playing in the last group with veteran Tom Watson, he could not maintain his form over the previous three days.
However, far from being disappointed by his performance he wants to use the experience to improve.
“Obviously playing in the last group of a major is an extreme situation,” he said.
“I’m pretty proud of the fact that I didn’t disappear quicker off the leaderboard – which I’m sure most people expected – and I was still hanging around and having a chance to win with four holes to play.
“I just tricked myself into believing it was like any other day and to go out and stay relaxed.”
This week’s gallery will obviously be rooting for Canadian Mike Weir, who has enjoyed a few more days’ recovery as he missed the cut at Turnberry.
He is looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd.
“It’s nice to have that one time, you know, one week,” he said. “When people are pulling for you, sometimes there is a feeling like you feel like you just can’t miss.”
Other players who have travelled over from Scotland include two-time major winner Retief Goosen and England’s America-based Luke Donald, who both tied fifth with Goggin in the chase for the Claret Jug, and Anthony Kim.
Kim led the Canadian Open 12 months ago only to shoot a four-over-par 75 to drop to joint eighth.
However, the 49-year-old Fred Couples has been forced to withdraw due to a back problem.
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