Tiger Woods wins U.S. Open in Sudden Death

After 91 holes and days of play, Tiger Woods secured his third U.S. Open win after a very exciting sudden death match and despite the pain from his ailing knee.  Tiger battled Rocco Mediate in a 19-hole playoff. 

Mediate’s odyssey began two weeks ago when he had to survive a sudden-death playoff simply to qualify for this U.S. Open. Even more unlikely was going toe-to-toe with Woods.

He had a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win, but it slid by on the left.

Mediate lost the tournament but walked off Torrey Pines with 12,000 new friends who crammed both sides of every fairway for a playoff that was tighter than anyone imagined.

“Obviously, I would have loved to win,” he said. “I don’t know what else to say. They wanted a show, they got one.”

Did they ever.

It capped a remarkable week for Tiger, the world’s No. 1 player, who had not played since April 15 surgery on his left knee and looked as though every step was a burden. But the knee held up for 91 holes, and the payoff was worth the pain, even if doctors had warned him that he risked further injury by playing the Open.

“I’m glad I’m done,” Woods said. “I really don’t feel like playing anymore. It’s sore.”