On what has to be one of the most exciting playoff rounds in golf’s history, Monday afternoon, Tiger Woods Wins the 2008 US Open Results: Tiger Woods Defeats Rocco Mediate in Sudden Death Playoff in Southern California by . This was a David vs. Goliath match-up, but in this case, the giant prevailed... just barely. With the best player in the world, facing off against the 158th player in the world, the odds were a lop-sided, but Rocco accepted the challenge and played the round of his life. Going into Monday’s 18-hole playoff, Rocco was a huge +250 underdog against Tiger Woods (-350).

Tiger started the back nine with 2 stoke lead, as Rocco seemed to be folding to the pressure. After his tee shot at the 10th Tiger showed his first signs of discomfort in his recently surgically repaired (left) knee. He walked off the 10th tee, much like we’ve seen him through the week, using his driver almost as a cane.

Rocco however was far from done, as consecutive birdies on 12th, 13th,and 14th squared the match at +1 with only 4 holes to play. On the 15th, Tiger looked to be in serious trouble deep in a fairway bunker, while Rocco sat comfortably on the fairway. Rocco then hit his approach landing it beautifully soft on the 15th green, with an opportunity to take the lead.

But Tiger Woods did what Tiger Woods does, be great! As out of the bunker, Tiger hit just an impossible shot, landing it perfectly inside Rocco’s ball. Rocco however, cool and collectively sank an unlikely birdie putt to put him ahead by 1, pending Tiger’s birdie putt… Tiger misses! But makes par. They moved on to the long par-3 16th, will the impossible seemingly becoming possible.

With a 1-stroke lead at the 16th tee, Rocco hit his shot just short of the green, but in decent position for a make-in pitch. Meanwhile Tiger with all the pressure now on him (being down by 1, with 2 to play) hits a hard 4-iron, that just barely sneaks on to the green. Rocco opts to put, and misses it by inches as the crowd increasingly roared and then sighed. With Tiger getting a good read from Rocco’s ball, Woods hits just a perfect putt, that stops less than an inch short of dropping in the cup. Both players made par.

On the 17th tee, Rocco goes first and lands on the fairway rough, but gets lucky with a decent lie. Tiger then steps up and crushed a 3-wood, dead on the middle of the fairway. Tiger places his approach shot passed the hole, in what seemed like a safe play. Rocco (from the fairway rough) was able to just get his approach onto the green, leaving himself in good position for a two-putt par.

On the 17th green putted first. He gave it a solid stroke getting just passed the hole, in good position to get up-and-down. Tiger stepped up into a Tiger moment, but fails to make his birdie, leaving it just short, he pars the 17th. The pressure begins to set in on Rocco, as he inhales while looking over his par putt. Sticking to his routine, and trusting his lie, Rocco Mediate sinks it, and makes his walk towards the 18th tee, with his 1-shot lead intact.

But the par-5 18th, favored Tiger Woods because of his length. Rocco pulls his tee shot left, once again landing on the fairway rough. All tiger has to do now, is put the ball on the fairway (with the driver), and put himself, in good position to go for an eagle and steal the 2008 US Open. Tiger steps up, and makes his signature power swing landing the ball on the fairway, as he watches it with a huge grimace covering his face. He once again walks off the tee, using his driver as a cane.

On the 18th fairway bunker, Rocco plays first, as he lays off, playing a strategic shot, and dumping it on the fairway. On Tiger’s turn, he studies the wind (with his caddy), grabs a 4-iron, and with a clear view at the green, Tiger hits his approach, and ands safely on the green with a chance at eagle or in the worse case a birdie to force yet another playoff. But Rocco still has his approach left, as he places his shot inside Tiger’s ball, with a chance to close out the US Open with a birdie.

As the guys make the walk onto the 18th green, a football-like atmosphere showers them both with cheers, whistles, and roars. Tiger is further out, so he goes first, and all you can think is, can he make eagle magic again? With a long look at eagle, Tiger hits his ball, as the crowd roars. Tiger misses, but leaves himself in decent shape to force another playoff, if Rocco misses his par putt.

Rocco putts his ball and misses. Tiger has a chance to force a playoff. Tiger makes birdie, Rocco makes par. And folks we got only the 3rd Sudden Death in US Open history to decide the 2008 U.S. Open Championship at Torrey Pines.

On the 1st sudden death hole at the par-4 7th, Tiger drives it on the fairway, and Rocco hits a long iron into a fairway bunker. Rocco hts out of the bunker, but pulls his shot way left, into the gallery and his chanced loked very dim from there.

Tiger from the fairway: delivers the knock-out blow. With the pin placement in the front of the green, Tiger hits a great shot putting himself in great position to become the first player ever to win 7 times in a particular course.

Mediate is forced to drop in a designed drop-area, and gets a decent lie. His approach shot trickles on to the green, and settles down closer than Tiger's ball. Therefore, Tiger putts first, with two shots at the Championship. Tiger misses his first putt just barely (short).

Rocco now has a chance to extend the match to a second sudden-death playoff hole. He puts on a good stroke, but misses just right of the hole.

Tiger Woods wins his 3rd career US Open title.

His winning streak of consecutive major wins extends to 14 in a row.

14 Major Titles won.

Becomes the first player ever to win 7 times at Torrey Pines (he has also won 6 times at Firestone).

The greatest ever, wins the US Open seemingly on one leg at 4:30 pm EST.   

Afterwards a very classy Rocco explained: "he is unbelievable... I can't say anything else... I never quit... I had a chance to beat the best player in the world... I had him scared, that is all I wanted"     

Tiger summed things up by saying: "this is the best tournament I've ever won."

---

Be first to comment this article

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.