Sunday, June 15, 2008

Wow! One Hell Of A U.S. Open!

Tiger Woods started the fourth round of the U.S. Open with the lead. In 13 previous occasions, when Tiger led a Major tournament after 3 rounds, he won all thirteen tournaments.

Rocco Mediate hasn't won a tournament in 6 years. He has never won a Major. He talks and jokes non-stop as he plays. He looks like he's having the time of his life.

Tiger is recovering from knee surgery and is in obvious pain. He guts it out and keeps making amazing shots to dig himself out of whatever trouble he gets into.

Rocco is 45 years old. No one that age has ever won the U.S. Open and no one that age has ever been a first-time winner in any of the Majors.

The last two players on the course, Tiger and Lee Westwood teed off at the 18th, both of them one stroke behind Rocco. The 18th is a par five and Eagles are definitely possible. Both of them teed off into fairway bunkers, which made it unlikely that either would get that eagle to take the win.

Both of them managed to get on the green with a possibility of birdie...which would force a playoff. Westwood missed. Tiger did not.

Tomorrow, Tiger and Rocco play an 18 hole playoff. I have no idea who to root for! Amazing!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

With every amazing putt Tiger made - and that absolutely lucky chip - we decided Tiger is a god of golf.

Poor guy, he looked to be in total pain.

But I do hope Rocco does well, because I'm always rooting for the underdog. Tiger has enough trophies, new cars and yachts.

Nathan said...

Jeri,

I really don't know who to root for.

Tiger is the most focussed committed athlete I've ever seem in any sport...and watching him play injured reinforces that. (According to the announcers, he doesn't feel the pain before he makes contact with the ball, but the torque involved in his follow through makes it happen.) I can't imagine doing something that I knew would be excruciating each time and still doing it without flinching from it.

Rocco is a great underdog and utterly sportsmanlike. I'd love to play a round with him. If anyone's gonna beat Tiger in this situation, I really hope it's him. And I can see Tiger actually being happy for him to do it.

Or maybe I'm nuts.

vince said...

You're nuts, but I agree with you. Guess that makes me nuts too.

Oh, and I mean "you're nuts" only in the nicest way possible.

Anonymous said...

No mug shots? Not even little teeny ones?

Nathan said...

Ooh, sorry. Forgot. I'll get right on it.

And BTW, no one else seems to be taking up the challenge, so you shouldn't have to work very hard to be a winner.

Jeff Hentosz said...

This is about -- whut? -- golf, right? XD


And: What challenge? I've been busy.

Nathan said...

Jeff, we're having a (very poorly attended) "Make Nathan's NewAvatar" Contest!