Retief Goosen
A golfer of unflappable nerve who conquered two of the sport's most punishing U.S. Open courses to claim his major titles.
Born 1969 (age 57)·South African professional golfer·Birthday: February 3·Generation X
Biography
Born in Pietersburg, South Africa, Retief Goosen's path to golf's summit was nearly derailed before it began when, as a teenager, he was struck by lightning on a course. He recovered with a characteristic quiet resilience that would become his trademark. Turning professional in 1990, Goosen honed his game on the European Tour, developing a reputation as one of the world's finest putters. His breakthrough arrived in dramatic fashion at the 2001 U.S. Open at Southern Hills, where he survived a three-hole playoff to win his first major, a victory that announced his arrival among the elite. He backed it up with a second U.S. Open win at Shinnecock Hills in 2004, a tournament infamous for its brutal, crusty greens that he navigated better than anyone. For over half a decade, Goosen was a constant presence in the world's top ten, a model of consistent, steely-eyed excellence that earned him a rightful place in the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Retief was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Retief Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Retief's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the U.S. Open twice, in 2001 at Southern Hills and 2004 at Shinnecock Hills.
- Topped the European Tour Order of Merit (now the Race to Dubai) in 2001 and 2002.
- Spent over 250 consecutive weeks ranked inside the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking.
- Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2019.
- Won 33 professional tournaments worldwide across multiple tours.
Did You Know?
He was struck by lightning at the age of 15 while playing golf, suffering serious burns that required a long recovery.
He and fellow South African Ernie Els were born just eight days apart in 1969.
He is known for an exceptionally calm and unemotional demeanor on the golf course, earning nicknames like 'The Iceman'.
He won the European Tour's flagship event, the PGA Championship, at Wentworth in 2001.
““I’ve always been pretty calm. I don’t show my emotions too much. That’s just the way I am.””
