Fergus Bisset looks back at the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines when Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate played 91 holes to decide the fate of the trophy. Woods was defying a broken leg, Mediate was defying all logic
2008 US Open: Tiger Woods’ Greatest Triumph
At the Buick Invitational in January 2008, Tiger Woods blew the field away at Torrey Pines in San Diego. He won by eight shots to claim a fourth-straight victory in the event. He had won seven times in eight starts and was so far ahead at the top of the world rankings, he had double the points of anybody else. He was as dominant as at any point in his career and, with June’s US Open set to return to one of Tiger’s happiest hunting grounds, it looked like there could be only one winner.
Rocco Mediate would probably have agreed. The 43-year-old journeyman had been struggling with his game and, although he had retained playing rights on the PGA Tour for 2008, he hadn’t made a cut on the circuit since September 2007. There would be no change at the Buick Invitational; he missed the cut comfortably with a second round of 77. He was two over through two rounds, 14 behind Woods. Who would have guessed that these would be the two men left standing in an epic battle for the US Open at the same venue five months later?
It seemed even more fanciful when Tiger went for knee surgery after finishing second at The Masters. With the US Open only 58 days away, his participation was doubtful.
Mediate’s participation was doubtful too, mainly because he hadn’t qualified to play. He would try to earn a start at Torrey Pines via sectional qualifying in Columbus, Ohio on the Monday after Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament. The Memorial gave Mediate cause for optimism, as he battled through testing conditions to finish in a tie for sixth – his best result of the year by some distance. But US Open qualifying was going to be tough. A field of 140 players gathered for the 36-hole event, with just 23 places available. Those trying to secure a spot in Columbus included Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Jesper Parnevik and Chad Campbell.
After the two rounds, Mediate was four-under and in a tie for 17th with ten other players. Eleven men and seven spots meant a play-off. It wouldn’t be the last Rocco would face in the 2008 US Open. Showing great nerve, Mediate made it through with a birdie at the first extra hole. He was going to California. He would play the US Open.
So would Tiger Woods. The World No.1 decided he had recovered sufficiently from his April surgery. And, despite also suffering from a stress fracture in his leg, (a fact the public wasn’t aware of at the time), he was going to play. This was a course he loved and a fantastic chance to claim a 14th Major title.
Woods started inauspiciously, with a double bogey on his first hole. He was pretty wild throughout the first round and there was speculation a weakened knee had something to do with it. The fact he was clearly in pain, frequently wincing after shots, added weight to that theory. He posted a one-over-par 72.
Mediate was a non-story coming into the tournament, but a first round of 69 meant he was just one off the lead in a tie for third. The press began to take an interest, but only in cursory fashion. After the round Mediate was asked a couple of questions, one of which was whom he considered favourite. The fact Mediate’s answer was “Tiger Woods”, says something about how he viewed his own chances at that stage.
Leading after round one were two unknowns – Justin Hicks and Kevin Streelman. The former had come through qualifying with Mediate, the latter was a PGA Tour rookie who had struggled for years on the mini tours. It was a brief taste of the limelight for both men that year. They fell away and, although both made the cut, they ended the tournament outside of the top 50.
Woods was visibly in pain through round two and, after a front nine of 38, it seemed he was playing himself out of the reckoning. But he roared back on his run for home. He made five birdies for a round of 68. It left him just one shot behind leader Stuart Appleby, tied with Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and, incredibly, the world number 158 Mediate.