Goosen's fury after slow play jibe backfires badly

EUROPEAN order of merit leader Retief Goosen, locked in a rankings battle with Padraig Harrington, stormed from the Club de Campo course yesterday after the Madrid Open first round, furious at being given a slow-play warning.

Goosen, the Madrid defending champion, threatened he might even quit the tour after his bad time was confirmed at the recording tent. The South African was also clearly upset because of his words the previous day when he had labelled Harrington the slowest player on the European Tour.

Goosen was given his bad time on the 15th hole by Spanish tournament director Jose Maria Zamora but stayed in control of his emotions long enough to shoot a five-under-par 66, although he missed a six-foot birdie putt on the last to deny himself the same score as Harrington.