Rainy day in Georgia

Adam Candee

Thursday, April 7, 2005 | 10:40 a.m.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- For some reason, what's good enough for the gander can't seem to include the Goose.

All the talk on tour these days focuses on the Big Four and Retief Goosen isn't nearly irritable or outspoken enough to bother with asking why he is not part of the clique. Goosen's game, though, is every bit worthy of expanding the new power group to a Big Five.

A two-time U.S. Open champion, Goosen owns the all-around game to match the PGA Tour media guide's cover boys. Slightly behind the group in World Golf Ranking points, Goosen is off to a good start in 2005. He advanced the semifinals of the Match Play and followed with a tie for eighth at Doral and a fourth at Bay Hill.

Goosen closed the 2004 season with a win at The Tour Championship and joins Woods as the only players to have a victory in each of the past four seasons. At 36 years old, he is entering a prime part of his career in his fifth full year on the PGA Tour.

"I think I'm hitting the ball pretty well," Goosen said.

He has said in the past that going unnoticed until taking home the big check on Sunday is no problem for him. A quiet man, Goosen is unconcerned with being excluded from the Big Four.

"No, it doesn't (bother me), not at all," Goosen said. "It's something you guys made up. I didn't make it up."

Goosen does not yet have the hook that the top four players do. Mickelson is the new people's champion, Els is the "Big Easy" who makes the game look effortless, Tiger is Tiger and Singh is the guy who beat him. The most interesting fact most know about Goosen is tragic; he was struck by lightning as an 11-year-old in South Africa, slowing his career and causing ongoing health problems.

Those in the Big Four regard Goosen as one of them, but they all see the group's tag as overly hyped. Woods has seen such gimmicks in the past.

"I'm sure there's more storylines for you guys," Woods said. "Hey, I went through a stage when I was good for golf when I was beating everybody and then I was bad for golf that I was beating everybody. And now, we've got the Big Four thing going, and then if we get Goose in there ..."

The 2004 statistics suggest that Goosen does belong. In addition to a sixth-place showing on the money list with just below $3.9 million, he finished fifth in scoring average at 69.32, but his strong putting and closing may be the most impressive figures.

Goosen placed 11th in putting average and was one of the best finishers on tour with the best third-round scoring average (68.08) and the second-best average in the final round (69.50).

"Inside, I'm confident, that I know I can do it and play well," Goosen said.