Goosen looks to improve in Hong Kong

Two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen’s hopes to make up for missing the cut at the Hong Kong Open 12 months ago by winning the event this time around.

A one-over-par total after 36 holes last year saw the 38-year-old South African go home early but he plans to avoid history repeating itself around the tricky Fanling course this week.

“I am looking to win, that’s the main thing,” said Goosen, who finished 18th at last week’s HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai.

“This year has been a little bit up and down. I won early in the year (January’s Qatar Masters) and did well at Augusta (he came joint second in the Masters) but from there on it has been a bit of a struggle.

“The swing changes I have been working on have made things a little difficult but then the last few events I have felt I was starting to hit the ball pretty nicely so it is now just the case of trying to make a few putts and getting on a roll.

“It is a tricky golf course; length is not really an issue here, you need to hit it straight so that brings a lot of players into play.

“It is one of those courses which look pretty simple but scoring is never very low and it is tricky with the tiny greens and the grain so you need to be hitting the fairways.

“I am not really sure who to watch out for this week, hopefully I can be one of the guys to be up there on Sunday.”

Defending champion Jose Manuel Lara has been struggling with a foot injury after his victory last year and although he admits his season has been disappointing, he remains optimistic of becoming only the second person to defend the title.

“In golf confidence is very important and I’ve been playing well over these last few weeks,” said the Spaniard, whose best finish after his win was joint seventh in last month’s Mallorca Classic.

“I’ve come here with some more confidence and I know how to play this course, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to play well.

“You have to know the greens. Last year my putter worked very well on the first three rounds and and if you can hole your putts that is key.

“If my putting is still working well then I should have a good week but this is a very good field, maybe it is stronger than last year.”

Former Masters champion Mike Weir, Korea’s KJ Choi, who has chalked up two victories on the US PGA Tour this season, Sweden’s Daniel Chopra, Australia’s Stuart Appleby, Thai pair Thaworn Wiratchant and Thongchai Jaidee and former winners Miguel Angel Jimenez and Simon Dyson are also expected to be in contention this weekend.