Golf was the big winner at Open
SAN DIEGO — They streamed across the seventh fairway at Torrey Pines on Monday afternoon, thousands chanting his name and screaming their appreciation, chasing the golf cart that slowly carried him to a U.S. Open final trophy presentation, chasing after him like children might the ice cream truck on a sweltering summer day.
Rocco Mediate was being carted to the 18th green of the South Course to watch Tiger Woods accept the prize for winning his 14th career major championship, the two having just completed one of the more memorable finals in Open history by competing to a 19th playoff hole.
Woods long ago became the most powerful influence of the game’s modern era, his popularity and talent having opened doors across lines of race and rank. But for five days here, a 45-year-old career tour journeyman brought the fun back in golf and the admiration of the common hacker.
Woods won on the scorecard with a par on the first hole of sudden death after each played to even-par 71 over 18 holes. The sport won far more.
"Half the people chanting (Mediate’s) name probably didn’t know who he was when this week began," said Steve Puertas, Mediate’s college roommate from Florida Southern who wept when embracing his close friend following the final hole. "He makes them feel relative. He looks them in the eye. He looks right at the guy who has had 10 beers and smiles and waves. He treats Joe Blow’s caddie like he does Tiger Woods.
"That’s what is special about him."
Want ironic? What will inevitably get lost in the feel-good moment of Mediate rallying from three strokes down with eight holes to play to lead by one entering the 18th hole is the fact Woods just completed the greatest tournament of his career. It’s his best win and it’s not close, given he wasn’t sure his surgically repaired left knee could hold up walking 18 holes this week, never mind 91.
Before he lifted that silver trophy, Woods over five rounds and an extra hole made four double bogeys, had four three-putts, was forced to birdie 18 on consecutive days to extend the tournament and yet still won his third U.S. Open title. Incredible.
Here is how amazing the Open was: It not only created a popular underdog story in Mediate that tens of thousands embraced daily, but for the first time in what seems like forever, Tiger Woods appeared vulnerable.
As the days passed and his knee became noticeably worse, the guy who makes you want to root for him like you might Steve Wynn hitting the lottery became this compassionate figure who admitted late Monday that he likely damaged the knee more by playing this week.
"I’m not real good at listening to doctor’s orders," said Woods, who wouldn’t commit to playing the British Open in four weeks and said only he intends on taking an immediate break. "I need to shut it down for a while. It’s a bit sore.
"I wasn’t going to bag it. It’s not in my nature. I don’t know how you can do that. I’m glad I’m done. I really don’t feel like playing anymore. It’s sore. It has been sore every day. I just deal with it."
It was classic that Mediate wore a red shirt under a black vest, the same color Woods traditionally sports in the final round. It was painful to watch Mediate misread a 4-foot par putt on 9 and fall two back — a gap that would extend to three on the next hole — but exhilarating to watch him grab the lead on 15 by making a 25-footer while the best clutch putter in history then missed his own birdie chance.
It was unusual to see Woods back away from so many shots and at times change his club choice before playing. "I think," Mediate joked, "that was because I was intimidating him." It was dramatic and emotional and unforgettable, the thought that we almost saw the oldest Open champion in history and also witnessed a susceptible side of the planet’s best player few ever observe.
"If anybody in the world goes up against Tiger when he’s at his best, they are going to lose, it’s that simple," Mediate said. "I don’t care who it is. Was he at his best this week? He was pretty good. Obviously, he is hurt … It wasn’t like I got my butt handed to me. I didn’t want that to happen. I just didn’t.
"I’m a little tired today. I’m a little old. He’s got me by 13 years and 1,000 yards off the tee … When I talk about golf, he doesn’t count. He’s not normal. He’s way above everything. I gave him the best I had and it wasn’t quite good enough."
You would have never known it as thousands streamed across the seventh fairway at Torrey Pines on Monday afternoon, chanting his name and screaming their appreciation.
Tiger Woods is again a U.S. Open champion, but golf was the big winner this week.
Ed Graney can be reached at 383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com.
