Despite pain and untimely mistakes, Woods earns spot in playoff
In yet another flash of brilliance, though, the game's No. 1 player not only finished all 72 holes, he made birdie on the 18th at Torrey Pines, where he has won six times already, and sent the U.S. Open into its first playoff since 2001.
When the putt dropped, Woods looked skyward and executed an exuberant double-fist pump that may set the celebration standard for years to come. Finally, and for perhaps the first time all day, he was feeling no pain.
Who cares about that double bogey on the first hole? Or the bogey on the second? And even when his drive found a fairway bunker and his second nestled in the rough to the right of the 18th fairway, golf's ultimate escape artist found another way to survive.
Woods took his 60-degree wedge and attacked the kikuya, sending the ball bounding to the right side of the flagstick. It stopped nearly pin high and settled 15 feet away, and the game's ultimate tactician surveyed the deciding putt.
"The putt was probably about two and a half balls outside right," Woods recalled. "And the green wasn't very smooth. I kept telling myself [to] make a pure stroke, if it bounces in or out, so be it, at least I can hold my head up high and hit a pure stroke. I hit it exactly where I wanted it to, and it went in."
So Sunday night, Woods will ice that tender knee that was operated on just two months ago and take another round of painkillers. His trip on Monday to Mexico to survey a course design project will have to wait another day.
"Looks like I'm busy tomorrow," Woods said with a smile. "I think they'll understand."
Woods' date with Rocco Mediate at noon ET marks his 12th playoff appearance, but first at the U.S. Open, which is decided over 18 holes, and not sudden death. He has only lost once in the previous 11 playoffs -- two of which were for major championships.
Woods, who shot 73 on Sunday, is also 13-for-13 when leading a major championship through 54 holes. A win on Sunday would put Woods just four behind Jack Nicklaus all-time. Mediate, on the other hand, is looking for his first.
"The thing that's most amazing is the man I'm going to play tomorrow has won 13 of these," Mediate, who has a 2-0 mark in playoffs, said. "It's amazing how much it takes. I gave all of what I had today and I can't complain. I knew he'd make that putt."
For a while on Sunday, though, no one knew quite what was happening with Woods. He was hitting his drives left. He was leaving putts short. When he wasn't grimacing, his handsome face appeared to have a visible look of concern.
| 12 | Career PGA TOUR wins in California for Tiger Woods. |
| 1 | Times Toger Woods has bogeyed the 13th hole at Torrey Pines in PGA TOUR competition. |
| 6 | Score made by Woods on the par-5 13th at Torrey Pines on Sunday. |
Woods even followed playing partner Lee Westwood down a canyon and into an ice plant at the par-5 13th hole. In 36 rounds on the South Course, Woods had never, ever made bogey on that hole -- until Sunday, that is.
Woods refused to blame the miscues on his knee, though. "Just terrible swings," he would say, but he later admitted he was having to work harder for this potential victory than the other 13 major championships. And not because of the playoff, either.
"After I got the start (I did) today, it looked like I could play myself right out of the tournament," Woods said. "But I still have a chance going into tomorrow. I kept telling myself after I started, if I shoot even par for the day, I win the tournament. And that would have been the number.
"But (I was) also very fortunate to get to the playoff, as well. Roc could have easily birdied 18 and put it out of reach for both Lee and I."
But Mediate didn't, so now Woods has another chance to add to his considerable legacy.
The win for either won't come on the traditional Father's Day Sunday now. But Woods, whose daughter Sam celebrates her first birthday on Wednesday, knows exactly what he wants his daughter to know about this week.
"I got a W," he said, and the smile was back.
MAJORSCHAMPIONSHIPS.COM is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network