10 years on from his victory, Royal Fremantle’s very own Oliver Goss relives his breakthrough win at the 2012 WA Open. It was his first Australasian PGA Tour win and for him it was a significant step forward in becoming the pro he knew he had the talent to become and the much needed boost of confidence.
“It was probably the first sign that I could compete in the professional ranks and was the beginning of a great purple patch. The following week I played the Asian Amateur and finished third ahead of Hideki Matsuyama and a top 20 in the Australian Masters in the following week”.
The 2012 WA Open was played at Royal Perth, where Goss was able to fire off rounds of 70, 68, 66 and a final round 68 which included a birdie on the 18th to force that famous 5-hole play-off.
“I was certainly a little nervous and excited (heading into the play-off), I remember being so amped up that I was hitting the ball 1-2 clubs longer than normal. At the time I probably couldn’t fully grasp that an achievement it was to win such an event as an amateur. If I did, I imagine I would’ve been even more nervous”.
“I remember the first four holes and the five play-off holes, I remember the feeling of tapping in for the win, I was overwhelmed with different emotions; obviously elated about the victory, and may have teared up a bit! But also that I could breathe and relax after having the most intense play-off with a close friend and peer (Brady Watt)”.
Goss went on to attend the University of Tennessee and even placed 49th at the 2014 Masters, which was won by Bubba Watson. He’s also secured 7 top 20 finishes in tour events and placed second at the 2017 Queensland Open. Oliver is currently the Junior Development Officer at Royal Fremantle and is highly regarded for his coaching.
As the WA Open descends once again on his home club, Oliver is looking forward to another week of Australia’s best in our backyard. He’ll also be chasing his second Open title.
“The goal is to have fun and enjoy being out on course, supporting a tournament that I have fond memories of, and positively promote golf to the next generation. I think it will be a fantastic week, it’s great for Royal Fremantle and great for golf in Western Australia. I’m very much looking forward to competing in front of my family and friends, and also the RFGC members who have done so much for me over the years”.
For any players looking to learn a thing or two about the home of the 2022 Nexus Advisernet WA Open, Oliver shared a few tips and tricks.
“Royal Fremantle is a demanding course, it’s very undulating and gets very windy in the afternoons, you have to work with the shapes of the holes and work with the wind in order to be successful. Birdies don’t come easy, you really have to earn every birdie, if you get too impatient and try to ‘make it happen’ and force the issue, it can quickly go the other way”.
