Unsung Goggin heating up in Houston

2008-04-04

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By John RegerPA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

HUMBLE, Texas (Ticker) While there are 18 Australians playingin the Houston Open, Mathew Goggin''s name was not mentioned asone of the possibilities for continued Aussie dominance of thisevent.

Goggin totally understands.

The 33-year old has been on the PGA Tour for six years and hasblended in with other tour grinders searching for their firstvictory. Due to his winless status, his name would be moreassociated with Australians Brett Rumford and Michael Sim ratherthan countrymen Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy.

With his first two rounds at the Houston Open, though, hecertainly put himself in Scott and Appleby''s neighborhood.Goggin is three strokes behind second-round leader, JohnsonWagner.

"I played well," Goggin said of his first two rounds. "I hit theball well yesterday and today. I hit a lot of greens and gavemyself a lot of opportunities."

It''s not only the first two rounds of this event where Gogginhas played well, but throughout the year. Goggin has played innine events and made the cut in seven of them, including two top15 finishes.

"I''ve certainly played well most of last year, it''s sort of beena steady continuation," Goggin said. "I''ve been striking theball really well and starting to putt a little better."

While three of this week''s Australian entrants, Robert Allenby,Scott and Appleby have won here, Goggin''s record was not good.He played here five times before this year and missed the cutthree times. His other two appearances resulted in a tie for49th and a tie for 16th.

Goggin appears, though, like he has figured this event out. Histwo under-par rounds, are his best first two rounds since a68-67 at the 2007 Children''s Miracle Network Classic. He was incontention there, but a final round 75 dropped him to a tie for20th.

Putting has been Goggin''s nemesis. He was ranked 170th last yearin putting average and 180th in putts per round, so Gogginchanged his putter at Pebble Beach and has been spending moretime trying to improve his putting statistics.

"There''s a few issues with my stroke," Goggin said. "Once I sortof got those things sorted out, I was a little more consistentand started to putt a little better."

Part of Goggin''s problem was mental rather than mechanical.

"I tend to overthink a bit when I putt," Goggin said. "If Istart to putt poorly, I get into my technique too much, apartfrom being really free and detached."

He didn''t have that problem with other parts of his game. Lastyear Goggin was 26th in driving distance, 44th in drivingaccuracy, second in total driving and 11th in greens inregulation.

"With the rest of my game, I don''t do it," Goggin said. "Drivingis sort of the strong part of my game. For whatever reason, thecloser I get to the hole, I tend to think a little bit toomuch."

Goggin was definitely in his head in the first round as he had34 putts. In the second round he had 25 putts.

"It''s a work in progress, I would say," Goggin said. "I guess Ihad it a couple weeks there back at Honda and Tampa."

He hopes he has it here at Houston.