Tiger does it again........

[Jdurg]

If I could be Tiger Woods for ONE round of golf in my life (hell, for one HOLE of golf) I would be utterly amazed.  He went into the final hole of the U.S. Championship today NEEDING to birdie in order to force a tie.  His tee shot was right into a bunker, his second shot was right into the rough, but then he laid down a nice third shot and sunk a moderately lengthed putt for birdie to tie it.  Amazing. 

I LOVE golfing and spend more hours on that sport than just about anything else in life, yet I am not even a pube in the yes of Tiger with regards to talent.  Simply stunning.

[Donkey_Kong]

I don't play golf. I will watch tourney's on TV though. Today was a great tournament. What a crazy day for Tiger.

So they have to play 18 holes tomorrow? That is a big playoff...crazy

[RTSDaddy2]

...and if you missed it there's no way to describe what you missed, though these two folk have done a good job.  Here's this pro wincing through every shot off the tee, so much so that he's holding his side by holes 17 and 18....and yet he drops that birdie putt to force a playoff.

Credit where it's due though - Rocco Mediate was the picture of grace, humor, and good sportsmanship (even though he may have felt totally differently) in front of the camera as the reporters asked ridiculous question after question about how he felt watching this play out.  I knew nothing about Mediate before today...and the reactions at 18 told me plenty about both men.  Rather pointedly, they're in a league all their own.

[Donkey_Kong]

What gets me is how excited Tiger is about going another 18 HOLES with the pain... 

Whatever it takes to win i guess. Pretty cool!

[wp34]

Saturday was even more amazing.  Those eagles he made were out of this world.  Tiger seemed as surprised as anyone when the chip on 17 hit the pin and dropped.

Credit where it's due though - Rocco Mediate was the picture of grace, humor, and good sportsmanship (even though he may have felt totally differently) in front of the camera as the reporters asked ridiculous question after question about how he felt watching this play out. 

Rocco has been pretty impressive.  Even his comments Saturday about Tiger were very respectful.  I really like that he did not lie down after Tiger's performance Saturday.  I'm rooting for Tiger but will be happy for Rocco if he ends up winning.

[billf]

Go Rocco!   

[Singapura]

Golf is playing marbles for grown up men. Only much more expensive.

[boykster]

What gets me is how excited Tiger is about going another 18 HOLES with the pain... 

Whatever it takes to win i guess. Pretty cool!

Take the pain....deefer deefer......

[Malenko]

I watched the last couple holes, also heard the interviews. As great as it would be for Tiger to win, I would actually like to see Rocco pull it off. He is a class guy and deserves it. Its a win win for Tiger, either he wins, or he loses and everyone blames it on the Pain/Knee not so much for Rocco if he win he beat a hurt tiger , if he loses he lost to a hurt tiger, ya know?

[Jdurg]

Well, today's playoff round was like deja vu all over again.  (Sorry Yogi).  Down by one stroke heading into 18 and Tiger HAD to birdie it or he loses.  Well, a hurt Tiger is still better than every other golfer out there and he birdied 18 and won it on the first sudden death hole.  Even though he left his birdie putt short, it at least gave Rocco a chance to putt for par and tie it.  Sadly, Rocco's put was about two inches too far to the right and Tiger won.  Still, absolutely amazing that Tiger played 91 holes through all that pain, and that Rocco played right up there with him for 90 holes. 

I'm an "okay" golfer.  My friend's are good golfers and better than me.  The average PGA Pro is a REALLY good golfer and much better than my friends.  Tiger, however, is better than every PGA Pro out there.  WOW!   

[massive88]

People tried to argue that Rocco wasn't an underdog going into the playoff, but if its Tiger vs any one man, Tiger is the favorite, hell, when its Tiger vs the field, you can bet that Tiger will win, and not get a lot of argument from people.

Rocco did exceptionally well, and it was a great playoff.  To think that after 90 holes, they were dead even, that was a hell of a US Open.  Hats off to Rocco, and Tiger, best golfer ever.

[billf]

I think Rocco really had Tiger a bit worried on those last few holes in the playoff.  Tiger looked a little stressed trying to find a way to tie it.  In the end he did on the 18th.  I take my hat off to Rocco, he really perservered.  He was down 3 shots and came back.  He just as easily could have folded up, but didn't.  Bravo Rocco.

Did anyone happen to see the stat that NBC put up during the broadcast on Sunday comparing the top ten finishes in majors that Jack Nicklaus had versus what Tiger has?  Jack finished his career with 73 top ten finishes at the majors (Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA).  For Tiger to equal that he will have to finish in the top ten of every major for the next 11 years!  Tiger is definitely catching Jack in majors won, but that stat really shows the great overall consistency that Jack had for a very, very long time.

[massive88]

Nicklaus won his last major 24 years after going pro.

He has his last top 10 finish in a major 36 years after going pro.

Nicklaus won 18 majors, and 73 PGA tour events

Tiger has been professional for 12 years this coming August, and has currently won 14 Majors, and 65 PGA tour events.

Nicklaus was the man for a long time, but if Tiger stays healthy and keeps playing, there will have been nothing like him before, and will not be anything like him in golf for a long time.

[billf]

Tiger is in incredible shape, except for the knee.  That knee has already been operated on three times.  Have to see how well that holds up for the long haul.

[RTSDaddy2]

Talking about Tiger's chip in at 17 on Saturday, for those that didn't hear the story on NBC yesterday, they said Tiger himself told them he knew he'd hit the ball too long and that it was on it's way FAR past the pin....when the little sucker took a bounce and dropped right in the cup.

I watched the last 9 holes, minus the  sudden death (I'd had enough after they were tied a second time).  Was incredible.  As if Sat at the 17th wasn't enough, what about the bunker shot from 9 onto the green at 15 yesterday after Tiger's horrible tee shot? 

He's simply ridiculous.

[billf]

I guess now the title of this thread should read: Tiger does it again....more surgery.

Tiger Woods to miss the rest of 2008 season

[Jdurg]

And that makes what he did even more unbelievable! 

[Chris G]

I really wanted to root for Rocco, but found myself pushing for Tiger.  It's just awesome living in the same era as an all-time sports legend and getting to watch them do their thing.  Same thing during the Michael Jordan era for me - I couldn't help but want to see history be made.  Hats off to Rocco, though - he hung tough the whole way and handled himself well.  I'm sure everyone else on the tour is licking their chops now, looking toward the rest of the season sans Tiger.