Do you feel unsatisfied like I do? We spent four days watching one of the greatest tournaments of all time and still do not have a winner. Let’s review:
It’s Thursday morning we’ve been waiting all morning, wondering… will he play…can he play…is the knee worse then he is letting on? I come to find out that there are exactly 5 people that know the truth. And more importantly, that those 5 people will say nothing about his condition. Nothing will stand in the way of Tiger Woods attempting to win major number 14.
There are a number of other facts about this event that went into Tiger’s decision to play:
-
Torrey Pines is called Tiger Pines by many. More than any other course, Tiger knows this place and how it will react to his shots.
-
The course does not have a lot of slope to walk. Way less than say Bethpage.
-
Tiger felt this was absolutely his best chance for a major in 2008. This might not seem important, but it has major significance in golfing history. If Tiger were to win, he would become the ONLY player to win a major in 4 consecutive years TWICE. Imagine that; Jack never did it; Arnie never did it; Hogan, Nelson, Watson, they never did it. In 11 years of playing, he will have won a major in two sets of four.
-
The doctors have said, “you cannot do further harm to your knee.”
-
Tiger, more than any other golfer today, has a real knowledge and love for the history of the game. I know for a fact that a friend of TW’s had a discussion with him about Hogan and his fighting through the pain from his automobile crash. That is exactly the kind of thing that motives Tiger Woods.
-
Finally, being raised by a Green Beret, and in so many ways wanting to live that lifestyle, Tiger playing on one knee was the perfect opportunity to step into the world of stories we can tell our kids.
So Tiger tees off and proceeds to make a double bogey on the first hole. How shocking…it would become his calling card for the 2008 US Open.
We can’t forget to talk about Mr. Phil. More than any other player, I am asked about Phil Mickelson. Why doesn’t he win more? Without Tiger, would he be the best? And a few hundred others. So let me set the record straight as to my feelings about Phil.
Phil Mickelson has more left brain then anyone I know. When Phil stands behind a shot, he sees every possibility. And I mean every one. Now, most players see one or two shots… Tiger might see four or five…Phil sees a dozen. Here is where the problem arises. Most players will try to make the easy shot; some will pull it off, most won’t. Tiger Woods see the shot that will make him win the tournament. Phil sees that shot, but he also sees the “next to impossible shot” that, if made, will have the same result as the shot Tiger would hit. Michelson’s heart; Mickelson’s soul forces him to try that shot. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. Phil’s greatness is also his biggest downfall. His desire to make great shots over then his desire to win.
So Phil goes to the first tee without a driver. Actually, not a bad idea. It might cause some response from his playing partners, Tiger and Adam. If he actually believes to win at Tiger Pines, he must hit the fairways. His only problem: he could find a football field big enough for the 3 woods (really a 2 wood) he was hitting.
The problem was not Thursday; the problem was not putting the driver back in the bag for Friday. Mr. Stubborn decided being 45 yards behind Tiger and missing the fairways to the same tune that Tiger was playing did not seem to matter. And he was wrong.
Thursday leaders got some well deserved TV time and proceeded to do what all first round leaders do at the Open, disappear. The cut fell at 7 under par when Stuart Appleby made a birdie on 18 causing the 10 shot rule to slide back to 7. Appleby looked like a “can’t miss” Except he’s Stuart Appleby and he became a can-miss on Saturday. Yep, he missed about 30 3-5 footers.
In the mean time, Tiger once again started with a double bogey on number one. I personally think Tiger is doing this on purpose to give the field a slight ray of hope. Of course, two eagles and a chip in on seventeen and Mr. Woods ended the day right where he belonged… on the top of the leader board.
Throughout all this, 45-year old, Rocco Mediate, with pants that his entire family can jump in with him, quietly worked his way around the course and ended Saturday two shots behind Tiger. A little about Rocco. This is a guy that has not won in 138 starts; this is a guy that three years ago used his one time exception for being a top 50 all time leading money winner to stay on the tour; this is a guy that started the year making exactly one cut; so we all expected him to be right at the top of a US Open leader board.
One other note about Rocco. In a world specifically designed for patience, Rocco has zero. He never stops talking; he never stops moving. If he could play a round in 30 minutes, he would be a happy camper. All attributes that go totally against the grain of a US Open winner. What Rocco Mediate can do is hit fairways. Now my 13 year old can out drive him, but he can hit fairways. And he does not have a nervous bone in his body. He’s to busy smiling to have any nervous bones.
So we all know what happens. Rocco misses his birdie putt on 18 leaving the door open for Lee Westwood (how great did he play. I really felt bad that he did not make the play-off) and Tiger Woods. Does Tiger make it simple? Hell no… He hits his drive in the bunker on the left. He then proceeds to hit a nine iron worse that my wife (and she is horrible) into the rough on the right side of the fairway. Now can you imagine Phil in that situation? Anyway, Tiger then hits a 60* to 12 feet.
I want to get serious here for one minute. I swear to you, I agree with Rocco’s point of view when he said to Mark Rolfing of NBC, “I would never root for a player to miss a shot so I can win.” I agree with that. No, I’m lying. I want to win. If that means Tiger missing that 12 footer, I am on my hands and knees… I am blowing cigar smoke that way… I am getting the fans to do the wave.
Anyway, I believe Rocco. He is a man of true love and warmth. Did you see his belt buckle? The big Peace sign. It was cool.
Tiger makes the putt and we are off to today. 18 holes for all the marbles. 18 holes between the best player ever and a guy that is currently number 158 in the world rankings. Not much of a match…WRONG. While TW will win, this is what golf is all about. The love of the game. Tin Cup coming to real life. You go Rocco…keep smiling, it will drive Tiger crazy.
Will give you a full report tomorrow.
Post your comments below…
