Brave Mediate Makes Woods Go the Extra Mile to Win 14th Major

The man wearing red won the 108th US Open at Torrey Pines but, for once on the decisive day of a major championship, Tiger Woods looked vulnerable before passing yet another milestone on his march towards Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major championships, defeating the dogged American journeyman Rocco Mediate after one of the most epic days in modern golf.

The world No1 tapped in for victory on the first extra hole - the two men had earlier tied, each shooting level-par 71s for yesterday's play-off over 18 holes. It was his easiest shot on a day that stretched even Woods' reserves of talent, and installed his opponent in the affections of neutrals.

"Tiger is unreal," Mediate said afterwards. "I would have loved to have won, but it was a great day. They wanted a show and they got one."

The victor concurred. "Unreal," he said.

Yet such drama was not anticipated before the round began. So much was at stake for both men. For Woods, it was an opportunity to secure his 14th major victory and edge himself ever closer to Nicklaus. Woods had won six times on this course in the past, albeit in PGA Tour events. He owned the place and to lose here, against a man 156 places beneath him in the world rankings would have been an affront to his dignity.

For Mediate, it was his one shot at glory, his one opportunity to emulate his great hero and mentor Arnold Palmer, who won this tournament at Cherry Hills in 1960.

The day began as it was expected to, with Woods edging in front at the opening hole after Mediate hit his approach into the green side bunker. It was a poor shot from the underdog but, even more tellingly, it confirmed what everyone on the premises already knew - behind the cheery veneer he was a bag of nerves. He hit another poor approach shot at the 2nd but scrambled a par - an escape that was greeted with huge roars from the galleries that were decisively on his side.

Glee turned into euphoria at the par-three 3rd, when Woods under-clubbed off the and left his ball plugged in the bunker at the front of the green. Mediate then almost holed his tee shot, leaving himself with a tap-in for a birdie, while the Woods only managed a bogey four. The two-shot swing thrust the underdog into the lead. It was hardly a decisive moment but, at the very least, it was the first indication that the day was destined not to be the procession that many expected.

As might have been expected, parity was soon restored, on the fifth, and Woods' birdie putt at the par-five sixth re-established his lead. A second successive birdie stretched his lead to two shots. Mediate pulled one back after a series of poor shots, set against a series of sensational putts from his opponent, and saw the margin stretched to three.

In normal circumstances, the world No 1might have been expected to cruise comfortably back to the clubhouse to pick up the trophy. Yet such had been the drama during the previous four days on the southern Californian coast that there was an inevitability about the events that followed.

Woods' dropped shot at the 11th was clumsy but hardly indicative of a man buckling under pressure. But what was to be made of a poor chip on the 12th hole and subsequent bogey?

Mediate might not be a trained psychologist but he reached the obvious conclusion, and pressed hard. Two successive birdies, at the 13th and 14th holes, and suddenly - unbelievably - Mediate was level once again. The 2008 US Open, a five-day marathon on a golf course that had stretched the best in the world to the limit of their talents, had been reduced to a four-hole play off. Who had the skill or, more to the point, the nerve?

Woods' record in such circumstances will stand forever in the history books but Mediate had twice before found himself in play-offs at PGA Tour events and twice emerged victorious. He is no mug and he took little time to prove as much, holing a snaking 18-footer on the 15th for birdie.

Woods, who had conjured up magic of his own, hitting a great approach from a fairway bunker had a putt from half that distance to match his opponent but dribbled it past the hole. Advantage Mediate.

The underdog held his advantage through the 16th and 17th holes, matching pars with Woods, and stepped on to the 18th tee needing only to match his opponent's score on the hole to win the tournament. This was easier said than done, of course, not least because Woods' length gave him the advantage on the par five.

Inevitably, Woods reached the green in two shots, Mediate in three. Woods putted first and sent his eagle effort four feet past, leaving his 45-year-old opponent with an 18-footer to win. It was no disgrace to miss - indeed, he deserves credit for running his ball up to the cup - but it proved to be his last chance.