Tiger tips cool Goose to win

The marathon grind is only halfway complete at Pinehurst No. 2 but Retief Goosen holds a clear advantage. The ice-cool South African has twi...

The marathon grind is only halfway complete at Pinehurst No. 2 but Retief Goosen holds a clear advantage. The ice-cool South African has twice won the title and feels a level of comfort that he experiences at no other major.

On top of that, Goosen has perfect U.S. Open credentials, according to Tiger Woods. ‘‘It’s mainly his attitude’’, Woods told reporters on Friday.

‘‘The guy is so good and so solid. He’s very calm, very cool and very patient, and that’s theway you have to be. I mean, you can’t have highs and lows at a U.S. Open because it’ll bite you.’’ Goosen, who won his first U.S. Open at Southern Hills in 2001, clinched his second 12 months ago in a brutal last-day at fast-running Shinnecock Hills.

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Known for his unflappable temperament and ability to grind out pars on tough layouts, the 36-year-old South African has felt at home in U.S. Opens since missing the cut on his first two appearances in 1998 and 1999.

‘‘For some reason I seem to do a lot better in this one’’, he said. ‘‘I suppose once you’ve done it once, you sort of feel like you can do it again. And I suppose it’s more of a confidence thing that whenyou’re out there, you feel just a little bit more comfortable than you probably would do in any of the other major events.’’

Goosen said he was happy enough with his performance on day two, despite slipping back from four under over the last five holes.‘‘I don’t think you can really distance yourself at this event’’, he said after joining American qualifiers Olin Browne and Jason Gore at the top of the leaderboard on two-under 138. But I didn’t feel like finishing four under was any advantage, really, to where I am now.’’