Golf-Goosen says no hangover from US Open collapse

WENTWORTH, England, May 24 (Reuters) World number three Retief Goosen has vowed to turn his final round collapse at last year's US Open to his advantage.

''There's no hangover,'' Goosen said of his 81 at Pinehurst No. 2 which turned a three-shot lead after three rounds into a share of 11th place behind winner Michael Campbell.

''Hopefully it is a good learning experience and, hopefully, I'll be in the same situation next month and perform better.'' The 37-year-old South African, the top-ranked player in this week's European Tour flagship event, the BMW Championship, said he had worked out what had gone wrong as he had attempted to add to his wins in the 2001 and 2004 Opens.

''Maybe I just didn't play those first few holes aggressive enough. I kept leaving myself very long putts.

''Then it's hard around a tough course like that, once it goes the wrong way, to recover. It's not a course that you come back with five birdies quickly.

''Once you've made five bogeys on the front nine, even if you play well from there, you're going to finish five-over.

''Maybe you can learn something on the concentration side, you weren't quite focused enough.

''Obviously (playing) the last five holes I knew I couldn't win.

Your concentration goes, everything went.

''I wasn't thinking of fourth, third or whatever. Once I knew I couldn't win anymore, I didn't care where I was going to finish.'' This year's U.S. Open is from June 15 to 18 at Winged Foot.

REUTERS PDS PM1735