Tuesday, June 17, 2008

108th US Open

Tiger Woods, now that is a name that will go down in history along with Rocco Mediate. These two golfers gave us an absolutely amazing playoff yesterday (6-16-2008). The front 9 was fairly even with Woods going up right at the end, but the back 9 was very, very dramatic. Woods went up by three shots with 8 holes to play and I have to think that most people watching thought it was over. Rocco proved us all wrong.

Rocco ended up making birdie on three consecutive holes (13, 14 and 15) to take a 1 shot lead with three holes to play; the same situation as Sunday. Woods and Mediate traded pars on 16 and 17 and the US Open came down to number 18 once again.

Woods put his tee shot in the fairway, giving him an opportunity to go for the green in two, which he successfully did, while Mediate knocked it into the left bunker. Mediate played smart and just hit it down the fairway. Mediate's third shot came to rest about 15-20 feet from the hole while Woods had a 45 foot eagle putt to win.

Woods missed his putt by about 5 feet or so and then Rocco had a chance to win the US Open. His putt missed just left. They both made the next putt and we got to see extra golf again!

The sudden death hole was #7, a slight dogleg right par 4. Woods had the honor and put his tee shot on the right side of the fairway while Mediate put his tee shot in the left bunker again. Rocco's lie in the bunker was not all that good and thus he didn't hit a good shot. His next shot went well left and into the gallery. He received a free drop and knocked it on the green about 20 feet away.

Woods, meanwhile, hit his second shot just outside 20 feet and had that putt to win...he missed. Mediate had to make his putt to extend the playoff but just missed making Woods the 2008 US Open champion.

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