Two Guys Sports
Bruce BostwickTiger prevails at U.S. Open
June 16th 2008 20:34
It was simply the greatest golfer, winning a great match. Tiger Woods held off a very determined Rocco Mediate in a superb 18, err 19, hole playoff to win the US Open. And the match, great through out, got really good late.
Mediate, three strokes down at one point, found himself even with Tiger after a birdie on 14. That prepared the scene for a spectacular finish, beginning with a superb Hole No. 15.
Rocco began the hole by nailing his shot on the right side of the fairway…a feat by itself as he had trouble hitting the fairway there all week. Tiger hit his further right, landing in a far bunker. And worse, Tiger was noticeably limping. Rocco, despite having the better first shot was further out and hit his second shot on the green, about 15 feet away from the pin.
Tiger answered with a brilliant shot out of the bunker that landed well inside of Rocco’s, leaving him a shorter putt, and left Rocco shaking his head at just how good Tiger is.
But Rocco made the putt of his life hitting to the right as the break took the ball perfectly into the hole, to keep himself in position for the tie.
Tiger inexplicably missed his as the ball stayed to the right of the hole, and suddenly Rocco had a one stroke lead after his third straight birdie.
Hole 16, a short par 4, and Rocco left his shot a few short of the green. Tiger hit his past Rocco’s to the front of the green. Rocco opted to putt from the fringe and his shot rolled inches to the right of the hole, and left himself a very makeable birdie shot.
He would need it as Tiger’s long put stopped about an inch short of falling in for the easy tapper.
Two holes to play, Rocco leads by one.
Rocco’s tee shot on the par-4 17th hole stopped in the first cut of the rough, to the right of the fairway. Tiger hit about the same distance, but was positioned beautifully in the middle of the fairway.
After a long decision on club selection, Tiger’s second shot went to the back side of the green in great position for an easy two-putt.
Rocco hated his own second shot when he hit it, but he got a lucky break when the ball bounced off the rough and onto the front of the green. He too was in two-putt territory.
His first putt had a lot of speed and rolled past the hole, but left about a three-foot putt left.
Tiger weighed his putt for a good while. And left his birdie putt less than a foot short, with the break not catching enough. And he saved par.
Rocco matched him and had a one-stroke lead heading to the final hole.
Knowing Tiger had been brilliant on 18 all week, Rocco tried to be aggressive on his tee shot. He ended up in a fairway bunker. Tiger, now in agony from his leg surgery, nailed the fairway.
Rocco had a decent shot out of the bunker to the fairway.
Tiger meanwhile had 217 to go to the hole for his second shot and hit his to the front of the green. But the shot was well back from the hole, and it looked like a two-putt birdie was on its way.
Rocco had a critical shot upcoming. He had to leave it close to put the pressure on Tiger. He hit the center of the green, and had a difficult long, but makeable, putt. Both on the green, but Tiger, one stroke down, was lying 2, Rocco was lying 3.
Tiger putted first. This time the eagle shot was close, but still feet away from the hole.
That left Rocco with about a 11-foot birdie putt to win the US Open. But it wasn’t to be yet as after being brilliant putting the last few holes, missed this one badly to the left, leaving a makeable par.
Tiger then drained his four-footer and Rocco needed to save par to force sudden death. No problem as he nailed his easy 3 footer.
90 holes, and no winner yet. Onto hole No. 7 to start sudden death.
Tiger shot first. His shot stayed just on the right fairway. Rocco went to the left in a fairway bunker. And suddenly it looked like Tiger would prevail after all.
Rocco had about 180 to go to the green, but the issue was the sand. And Rocco pulled it left, seemingly lost in the grandstand.
Tiger was 156 out and could afford to play a fairly safe shot as Rocco would need a miracle to survive. Safe indeed was the option as Tiger just hit to the front of the green. He’d have a makeable putt, but was likely looking at a two-putt.
Rocco got a small benefit by getting a free drop, but would still need a brilliant shot to the green to have a chance. Too much speed and no spin left him about 20 feet off. That left Tiger with a putt to win, also looking at about 20 feet. It was dead on, but was short…by inches. And he tapped in.
But Rocco would have to make his shot to force another hole. He had the speed, and the distance, but the shot went about an inch to the right of the hole and Tiger had one more Major….and without a doubt, this one was perhaps one he earned more than any other.
This was the first sudden death playoff since 1994 when Ernie Els and Loren Roberts had to go two extra holes with Els eventually becoming the Open Champion.
This is Tiger’s third U.S. Open championship, and 14th overall major, and makes him the only golfer other than Jack Nicklaus to complete the Career Grand Slam three times. He is just four major title behnd Jack’s mark of 18, it won’t be long before he surpasses that mark too.
Click here for Final Round scores
Mediate, three strokes down at one point, found himself even with Tiger after a birdie on 14. That prepared the scene for a spectacular finish, beginning with a superb Hole No. 15.
Rocco began the hole by nailing his shot on the right side of the fairway…a feat by itself as he had trouble hitting the fairway there all week. Tiger hit his further right, landing in a far bunker. And worse, Tiger was noticeably limping. Rocco, despite having the better first shot was further out and hit his second shot on the green, about 15 feet away from the pin.
But Rocco made the putt of his life hitting to the right as the break took the ball perfectly into the hole, to keep himself in position for the tie.
Tiger inexplicably missed his as the ball stayed to the right of the hole, and suddenly Rocco had a one stroke lead after his third straight birdie.
Hole 16, a short par 4, and Rocco left his shot a few short of the green. Tiger hit his past Rocco’s to the front of the green. Rocco opted to putt from the fringe and his shot rolled inches to the right of the hole, and left himself a very makeable birdie shot.
He would need it as Tiger’s long put stopped about an inch short of falling in for the easy tapper.
Two holes to play, Rocco leads by one.
Rocco’s tee shot on the par-4 17th hole stopped in the first cut of the rough, to the right of the fairway. Tiger hit about the same distance, but was positioned beautifully in the middle of the fairway.
Rocco hated his own second shot when he hit it, but he got a lucky break when the ball bounced off the rough and onto the front of the green. He too was in two-putt territory.
His first putt had a lot of speed and rolled past the hole, but left about a three-foot putt left.
Tiger weighed his putt for a good while. And left his birdie putt less than a foot short, with the break not catching enough. And he saved par.
Rocco matched him and had a one-stroke lead heading to the final hole.
Knowing Tiger had been brilliant on 18 all week, Rocco tried to be aggressive on his tee shot. He ended up in a fairway bunker. Tiger, now in agony from his leg surgery, nailed the fairway.
Rocco had a decent shot out of the bunker to the fairway.
Tiger meanwhile had 217 to go to the hole for his second shot and hit his to the front of the green. But the shot was well back from the hole, and it looked like a two-putt birdie was on its way.
Rocco had a critical shot upcoming. He had to leave it close to put the pressure on Tiger. He hit the center of the green, and had a difficult long, but makeable, putt. Both on the green, but Tiger, one stroke down, was lying 2, Rocco was lying 3.
Tiger putted first. This time the eagle shot was close, but still feet away from the hole.
That left Rocco with about a 11-foot birdie putt to win the US Open. But it wasn’t to be yet as after being brilliant putting the last few holes, missed this one badly to the left, leaving a makeable par.
Tiger then drained his four-footer and Rocco needed to save par to force sudden death. No problem as he nailed his easy 3 footer.
90 holes, and no winner yet. Onto hole No. 7 to start sudden death.
Tiger Woods earned another US Open title
Tiger shot first. His shot stayed just on the right fairway. Rocco went to the left in a fairway bunker. And suddenly it looked like Tiger would prevail after all.
Rocco had about 180 to go to the green, but the issue was the sand. And Rocco pulled it left, seemingly lost in the grandstand.
Tiger was 156 out and could afford to play a fairly safe shot as Rocco would need a miracle to survive. Safe indeed was the option as Tiger just hit to the front of the green. He’d have a makeable putt, but was likely looking at a two-putt.
Rocco got a small benefit by getting a free drop, but would still need a brilliant shot to the green to have a chance. Too much speed and no spin left him about 20 feet off. That left Tiger with a putt to win, also looking at about 20 feet. It was dead on, but was short…by inches. And he tapped in.
But Rocco would have to make his shot to force another hole. He had the speed, and the distance, but the shot went about an inch to the right of the hole and Tiger had one more Major….and without a doubt, this one was perhaps one he earned more than any other.
This was the first sudden death playoff since 1994 when Ernie Els and Loren Roberts had to go two extra holes with Els eventually becoming the Open Champion.
This is Tiger’s third U.S. Open championship, and 14th overall major, and makes him the only golfer other than Jack Nicklaus to complete the Career Grand Slam three times. He is just four major title behnd Jack’s mark of 18, it won’t be long before he surpasses that mark too.
| 18 Hole Playoff - Monday 6-16-08 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| PLAYER | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | OUT | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | IN | TOTAL | |
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 71 | |
| E | Rocco Mediate | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 34 | 71 |
| E | Tiger Woods | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 71 |
| Sudden Death Playoff | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Par | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Rocco Mediate |
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Tiger Woods | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Click here for Final Round scores
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