Tiger wins his 14th Major

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 06/19/2008  

SAN DIEGO — If you have ever questioned the greatness of Tiger Woods, don't. If you watched any part of his latest incredible victory, you witnessed what being the greatest is all about. This remarkable young man did it again, surviving 91 holes over hills along the shores of the Pacific Ocean on a bad left knee to win our National Championship.

In the 2008 United States Open at Torre Pines, in San Diego , California , Woods outlasted a game Rocco Mediate in a sudden death playoff on the 19th hole Monday to win his third United States Open. Both players shot even par 71 in the playoff.

This victory for Woods was achieved again by digging deep down inside to draw the inner strength and will to overcome the pain.

This was the first tournament for Woods since last April, when he finished second in the Masters. Two days later, Woods had surgery on his left knee for the third time, the same knee that he had a benign tumor in.

While covering the NBA Finals in Los Angeles last week, I drove two hours up to San Diego to see rounds one and two of the United States Open. What a treat to see that great course just off the ocean. What I saw was the world’s greatest athlete not at his best, but simply refusing to give in to the pain.

No pain, no gain? Indeed, it was Tiger Woods who, on Thursday and Friday, beat down Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott head to head, the number-two and number-three ranked players in the world. Woods shot 30 on the back nine on Friday to leave Mickelson and Scott in his wake 72-68 after 36 holes, and after 54 holes Tiger was three under par with the lead.

 Woods has never blown a lead in his career when he has a share of the lead going into the final round. He is now 14 for 14; he survived four double bogeys by making three eagles and twice had to make birdie on the 18th hole Sunday, on the last hole, to deny Mediate his first career Major victory.

In the United States Open, if two players are tied after 72 holes, there is an 18-hole playoff. Woods at one point on Monday in the playoff had a three-stroke lead; however, Mediate caught Tiger and had a one-shot lead going to the 18th hole.

Woods did it again: He reached the par-five 18th in two and two-putted for birdie to force a sudden death playoff, which he won on the 19th with a par.

"I think this is probably the best ever," Woods said. “All things considered, I don't know how I ended up in this position. To be honest with you, it was a long week." Woods is three years ahead of Jack Nicklaus's pace when Jack last won his 18th career Major at age 46.

Tiger Woods has now been ranked number one in the world for a record 500 weeks.

This victory was extra special for Woods because, when he was a child at age 10 growing up in California, his late father Earl took him to play Torre Pines South as his first challenge on a big course.

Woods has now set a PGA tour record with seven wins on the same course; he won the Buick Invitational on this same course in February by eight shots. With nine career USGA titles, Woods has now tied the immortal Bobby Jones for most all-time.

He the first golfer ever to twice win a Major Championship four years in a row — 1999-2002 and 2005-2008. Other players to achieve the honor are  Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Water Hagen.

Woods has now moved into sole possession of third place on the all-time career victory list with 65. Number one is Sam Snead with 82, followed by Jack Nicklaus with 73, Tiger with 65, and Ben Hogan with 64.

He joins an elite list of players to win three U.S Opens in the same decade — Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods. Tiger is tied for second place with the most career U.S Open titles, three. Nicklaus, Hogan, Jones and Anderson all won the U.S Open four times.

This puts Tiger right alongside Nicklaus as the only players to achieve the career Grand Slam three times. Woods has won four Masters, four PGAs, three British Opens and three U.S Opens. He has now won the U.S Open, Masters and PGA Championship in playoffs, where he’s 3-0.

Can Woods recover in time to play on that painful left knee? I think so; he's 32 years old, still a young man. The next Major Championship is in five weeks in July at the British Open. Woods will have time now to strengthen and rehab that knee.

"I think I need to shut it down for a little bit,” Woods said. “The knee is a bit sore. I need to take a bit of a break." Indeed.

 

Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, and biweekly he commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). He welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-recorder.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.