FanHouse U.s.Open

If you've ever played more than a couple of putt-putt holes, then you've heard the antediluvian saying, "You drive for show and you putt for dough." While this saying does emphasize the importance of getting the ball in the hole on the greens, it forgets just how important getting off the tee box can be. Don't believe me? Just ask Tiger Woods.

Woods is currently 139th on tour in driving accuracy and 185th in total driving, which isn't exactly jarring since Woods has struggled with these stats before, but normally makes it up with such impressive "greens in regulation" (GIR) stats. This season he's a disappointing 91st in GIR, a stat he led the tour in each of the last three seasons.

To me, the days after an amazing sporting event are pretty depressing, time when you're thinking back on all the superhuman events that happened, recreating them in your mind, but realizing that they are in fact over and you have to move on with your sports life.

With that said, the golf world will continue to spin and starting tomorrow the Travelers Championship tees off at the TPC River Highlands with a fairy competitive field considering it's the week after a major championship.

Vijay Singh leads the field in Cromwell, Connecticut after a disappointing U.S. Open where he finished in a tie for 65th, a week that included a second round 78. Singh is slowly becoming an afterthought in the golf world, slipping to ninth in the Official Golf Rankings and searching for his first win since March of 2007.

You might think this insight is extremely deep, but I've always found it hard to win golf tournaments when you putt like a blind blacksmith during an earthquake. I think Vijay would agree with me.

Tiger Woods has had some absolutely remarkable years, but 2008 is his best start ever to a season.

Woods has won four of his first six tournaments, including Monday's playoff victory over Rocco Mediate at the U.S. Open.

In his career as a professional, Tiger has only had one full season (1998) where he didn't win one of his first six events and has had six seasons where he's won at least two of his first six tournaments.

Woods has already made $5,775,000, nearly $2 million more than second place Phil Mickelson in eight less tournaments and is leading the FedEx Cup by 6,755 points over Lefty.

With years like 2000 and 2006 where Tiger won nine and eight tournaments, respectively, it will be interesting to see if he can get to double digits in a year where he is battling a troubled knee. A healthy Woods would be on a semi-realistic pace to get to 10 wins, but with the knee lingering after five days at Torrey Pines, six more wins seems unlikely.

Just to toot Tiger's horn one more times, his four victories this season are more than Andy North, Padraig Harrington and Chris DiMarco have had in their careers on the PGA Tour.

There hasn't been a big golf tournaments of memory where I heard more casual golf fans say things like, "I can't peel myself away from golf, this is great TV."

People that normally think golf is more pointless than a Matthew McConaughey movie were glued to the television like their uncle was in contention, even playing hooky to see if the pool boy could actually hold off the titan.

Here are the winners and losers from a week that will be remembered in U.S. Open history for as long as people play blade irons.

Winners

• Tiger Woods -- If he had been 100 percent healthy, the interest level would have dropped tremendously. Instead, the bum knee made Tiger actually, gulp, human. We saw him wincing, yelping, pouting and in the end, prevailing. It might not have been the sexiest performance of his 14 major wins, but it was definitely the most thrilling. The next time anyone doubts Tiger Woods, think back to June 12-16, 2008. The man really can do it all.
  

• Rocco Mediate -- He lost and it was disappointing for anyone that loves an underdog sports story, but could you have picked a more perfect foe to battle Tiger? Gracious, quirky and a little abnormal, Mediate threw every pitch he had at Tiger and still couldn't strike him out. He might not have won a trophy this week in San Diego, but he made us all realize how much fun true competition can be.
  

If you haven't heard, Tiger Woods is playing Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole hole playoff to decide the winner of the 2008 U.S. Open Championship.

This will be the 33rd playoff in U.S. Open history and the first since Retief Goosen beat Mark Brooks in 2001 at Southern Hills.

We'll be live blogging this thing starting at noon eastern, so get your afternoon coffee ready, your TV set to NBC and your excitement level back to what it was last night.

Golf on Monday and it isn't an exhibition, what a bonus.

Update: I'm going to start giving updates on here until Cover it Live works again. (Keep clicking refresh) Also, if you want to chat or ask a question, email me at shanefanhouse@gmail.com

2:14 EST - Tiger was struggling on the tenth hole, but made a crazy 15-footer for par from off the green and Rocco missed his par putt, Tiger is now three up through ten holes, pulling away.

2:16 EST - Tiger, on 11, hit it in the bunker off the tee on the par-3.

2:16 EST - Rocco on the tee, three down, hit a 4-iron, GREAT SHOT! He hit it to about 18-feet for birdie.

2:16 EST - What you might have missed while we were having problems. Tiger hit his second shot on the par-5 ninth in the bunker, hit it fat out of the bunker in the rough short of the green, chipped it up to about four-feet and made it for par. Rocco made bogey.

2:18 EST - Also, for all those asking, the golf is on NBC right now.

2:19 EST - Tiger, from the bunker, hit a great bunker shot from where he was, has about eight feet left for par. He didn't have a great lie and did all he could to get that close.

2:20 EST - Rocco on 11, putting for birdie, and misses it, tap-in par.

2:21 EST - Tiger has 12 putts though 10 holes, Rocco has 17 putts.

2:21 EST - Tiger putting for par on 11 to stay three up, hits the putt, and misses it outside. Tiger makes bogey, is only two up through 11 holes.

2:23 EST - Also, the announcers said Tiger has played the same putter his entire career, which is what some would say, not true.

2:23 EST - Rocco on the tee on 12, hit a good one, down the middle of the fairway.

2:24 EST - Tiger on the tee at 12, holding on to his driver, not happy. It is heading right, in the fairway bunker, his 4,532,121 bunker of the week.

2:25 EST - Rocco just hit a great second shot, to about eight feet, has a ten feet for birdie on 12.

2:29 EST - Tiger from the fairway bunker, said G**D***it really loud, throws the club, and is very short and in the rough on 12.

2:31 EST - Tiger was up three after 10 holes, and has a very good shot at making bogey here and maybe going just one up or even tied with Rocco if he makes birdie on 12.

2:32 EST - Tiger pitching into the wind from short of the green, three practice swings, over the ball, gets a lot of spin on that, and leaves it about 12-feet short for par!

2:33 EST - Ok, Rocco up first for birdie on 12. If he makes this and Tiger misses, they will be tied!

2:34 EST - WOW, Rocco runs it by about three feet, leaving that for par. Now Tiger up for par from about 12-feet. In case you didn't know, Tiger might need more meds.

2:36 EST - Tiger, taking a lot of time for par, a couple of practice strokes, now standing over it, misses it left and he runs it by three feet! Now putting for bogey.

2:37 EST - Tiger, knocks it in the middle for bogey on 12. Now Rocco for par to get within one shot of Tiger.

2:38 EST - Rocco, with Tiger playing the last five holes three-over, drills it for par! Mediate only one back of Tiger Woods, Buster Douglas be damned.

2:40 - Rocco on the tee at the par-5 13th, finds the fairway. Tiger, can't find the fairway. As good as he was hitting the driver to start, he's struggled of late with it.

2:42 - Not to sound like a crazy Rocco fan, but Tiger is really, really struggling right now.

2:43 - Tiger, walking up the fairway with his driver in hand, said after that drive "come right one yard!"

2:44 - If he loses this thing, he'd join an elite group of golfers that have lost in a U.S. Open playoff.

2:45 - Rocco up first, talking with the caddy and has three-wood in hand, 261 yards out.

2:45 - Rocco, takes a big swing at it, in the front bunker, needed about two more yards to be a FANTASTIC shot.

2:46 - 223 to the hole for Tiger, a decent lie in the rough, looks like he's going for it (Also just said "Roger that" to Stevie Williams).

2:47 - Tiger, on the par-5 13th, his second shot oh WOW! From 223 out, he hit it about 25 feet for eagle!

2:49 - Rocco, in the bunker, a pretty good lie and not a hard shot, hit it about four feet, but not bad at all. Four feet left for birdie for Rocco on the par-5 13th.

2:51 - Tiger for eagle on 13......he's over the putt, and he left the eagle putt short right in the middle of the cup!

2:52 - That thing was tracking dead center, but he left it about a foot short.

2:53 - Now, Rocco for birdie on 13 to stay a shot back of Tiger...from four feet, he made it DEAD CENTER! Rocco birdies 13.

2:54 - Tiger taps in, Tiger is still one-up through 13 holes. What a clutch up-and-down from the bunker for Rocco? Really great shot and putt.

2:55 - Speaking of great putts, check out Tiger's putt from yesterday for the 3,455 time.

2:55 - Ok, they are on the 14th and it is playing short again, 267 yard par-4 with long DEAD.

2:56 - Also, Johnny Miller just said the pin is in perfect position for a "hole-in-one double eagle wouldn't that be nice." Ummm, yeah Johnny.

2:56 - Rocco on the tee, hits a three wood just a touch short of the green, but in perfect position.

2:57 - Heyyyy-ooooo, Tiger is pulling out three-wood to go for the green off the tee!

2:58 - Tiger with three-wood, looks like he is choking down a touch. Tiger doesn't like it, came out of it and it is in the rough, but not a bad lie. He is just short of the pin, maybe 15 yards.

2:59 - Remember, you can email me with any questions or comments at shanefanhouse@gmail.com

3:00 - Rocco, or the swimming pool man, is in way better shape. Tiger is first to play, from the rough but a good lie. He needs to pitch it high enough and stop it quickly, and he chunked it! He has left himself about seven feet or so for birdie.

3:02 - Now Rocco, with an easy pitch, OHHH, almost makes it! Maybe eight inches for birdie. He taps it in for birdie on 14!

3:03 - Tiger has a birdie chance on 14 or he will be tied with Rocco with just four holes to play.

3:04 - Tiger, looking at the putt from both sides of the hole, doesn't have much here. It's a relatively easy putt, or so they say.

3:04 - Tiger over the putt....two practice strokes, sets himself, LIPS IT OUT!!!! THEY ARE TIED!!!!

3:05 - TIGER AND ROCCO ARE TIED UP GOING INTO THE LAST FOUR HOLES!!!!!!!!!

3:05 - He hit it too hard, bottom line. It was the right line, he just slammed it through the line.

3:06 - Ok, four more holes, both tied up at one-over, great stuff right now. Rocco has birdied the last two holes.

3:07 - Rocco on the 15th, watching it close, gets a good hop and hits the fairway for one of the first times in his career (according to J. Miller).

3:08 - Tiger on the tee, driver in hand, 478-yard par-4, OH NO, left it right again. Deep, DEEP rough on 15. Advantage Rocco Mediate.

3:09 - I think this is a good time to mention that after the 10th hole I thought Rocco Mediate has exactly zero percent chance of winning this thing. He had TIger on the ropes on 10 and not only didn't gain ground, but lost a shot. He has showed some AMAZING, AMAZING, ummm, well, you know.

3:10 - Wow, Tiger is in a bunker on another hole! He has an awkward lie, but at least has a clearing to hit a shot. Seriously, I'd say it's 70 percent chance Rocco is leading after this hole. Yes, you read that correctly, LEADING!

3:12 - Rocco to play first, 191 to the pin.

3:12 - Rocco has his tounge out, and a GREAT, GREAT shot, to about 15 feet for birdie on the 15th hole!

3:13 - Wow, WHAT. A. SHOT!

3:13 - This is the most exclamation marks I've ever used in my life!!!!

3:13 - Tiger, 170 yards from the fairway bunker on the ninth hole (he's playing the 15th). Is it time for one of those Tiger shots?

3:14 - Tiger, stepping back, not totally sure of what he's going to do.

3:14 - It is DEAD SILENT. Tiger, playing a draw, oh, get out of hERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3:14 - YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW GOOD THAT IS, I SERIOUSLY JUST GOT GOOSEBUMPS. He's maybe seven feet for birdie, half the distance Rocco left it.

3:15 - From a fairway bunker on another hole, with an awkward stance and not much green to work with, Tiger hit the SHOT OF THE TOURNAMENT!

3:16 - It seriously isn't fair, Tiger is even smiling.

3:17 - Tiger has hit a ton of shots in his crazy career that leave your jaw open, but this might take the cake. He's struggling, Rocco is surging and he hits that thing like he did.

3:18 - OH MY LORD! Rocco just CASHED IT FOR BIRDIE DEAD-CENTER!!!!!!!!

3:18 - This is better than yesterday or Saturday. Never.a.doubt.

3:19 - Rocco takes the lead for the moment, his third birdie in a row.

3:19 - Now, Tiger has a must make. I can't remember a guy making a birdie putt to trump a Tiger shot.

3:19 - Tiger, now for birdie to stay even with Rocco. He's over the putt.....aiming way out to the right....He missed it.

3:20 - Can you believe this? Tiger hits the shot of the tournament and still have some chicken left for par.

3:21 - Tiger, for par... makes it. Rocco Mediate, with a one-shot lead with three holes to play. Three birdies in a row and I think I just drooled myself.

3:21 - A comment from GINOAPO@aol.com - "I would compare this to David & Goliath & Goliath just won't go down. What do you think?

It's absolutely amazing. Rocco is actually outplaying Tiger Woods right now.

3:23 - Rocco, 4-iron on the 16th hole, came up short, but not in a bad spot at all.

3:24 - Now Tiger, with a three-iron after Rocco came up short, playing a cut on the par-3 16th hole. Over the ball...backs away because of the wind.

3:24 - I don't know if Tiger has felt this way since the U.S. Amateur at TPC Sawgrass.

3:25 - Tiger has moved back to the 4-iron. Over the ball, staring at it, on the green, about 30 feet or so short of the hole.

3:25 - silv396@aol.com asked Hole# and who is ahead ?

Rocco is leading by one shot on the par-3 16th hole.

3:26 - Rocco is putting the ball from off the green at 16, just said to his caddy "it's all about speed."

3:29 - Rocco, over his putt from off the green, oh man, almost CASHES it from 50 feet. Leaves it about a foot behind the hole for par on 16.

3:29 - Ok, now Tiger, who is one shot back of Rocco, putting for birdie from about 30 feet on 16.

3:30 - Johnny Miller just said Tiger has to be careful not to three-putt this thing, but I'm going to disagree with our "63 at Oakmont" man.

3:31 - Tiger, for birdie on 16....It's tracking, Ohhhhhhhhhh, HE LEFT IT ON THE LIP DEAD CENTER!!!!!!

3:32 - TIGER WOODS LEFT THE 30-FOOT BIRDIE PUTT ON 16 DEAD CENTER, TWO ROLLS SHORT OF GOING IN FOR A 2!!!!

3:32 - Rocco taps in for a par, so Rocco is now one shot up on Tiger Woods with two holes left.

3:32 - Ok, now they have 17, Rocco will be first to tee off. Honestly, that putt was right in the heart of the hole if he had just hit it a noise hair harder.

3:33 - Rocco on the tee with driver. He's looking at it, and it got another good kick, keeping it in just the first cut of rough, a fine lie.

3:33 - Tiger has hit just one of his last six fairways, with the three-wood. He had to back off because of a spectator that I might shoot with a guy from 2,000 miles away.

3:34 - Tiger likes it, hit the stinger three-wood right in the heart of the fairway, just his second fairway in the last seven holes.

3:34 - I just got a text from a buddy, "I didn't know that people didn't use golf gloves." Actually, Freddie Couples made that pretty popular.

3:36 - Ok, so both are in fine position, Tiger in the fairway and Rocco in the first cut of rough but not bad. This is really starting to look like Rocco Mediate is going to take down Mr. Woods. Like my buddy in Vegas texted me, "it's not that big of an upset, only 3.5-1." Yep, I agree, but it's TIGER WOODS.

3:37 - If you were nervous for Tiger yesterday, today is like that with a shot of whiskey and a brisket sandwich.

3:37 - Rocco Mediate is even par for the day, Tiger is one-over.

3:38 - Tiger has 162 to the hole on 17, talking to Stevie about the wind direction.

3:38 - NBC has done a GREAT JOB at getting audio of the caddy and player exchanges. Tips hat to NBC.

3:38 - Tiger just said "it looks like (The wind) is going cross to help."

3:39 - Tiger asked Stevie the carry distance and it's 157 over the ridge. He's over the ball, choking down on the club, has to BACK OFF.

3:39 - Stevie actually called him off that shot when Tiger was about to hit it. Pretty crazy he did that.

3:40 - Ok, now he's got 8-iron, a solid swing, he's not complaining, and he hit it a touch long, about 20-feet past the hole.

3:40 - Great call by Stevie to call him off that 7-iron.

3:41 - Rocco already over his ball, takes a swing, yelling at it, ohhhh, JUSTTT cleared the bunker by about a foot.

3:41 - Rocco is getting the Tiger breaks.

3:42 - Hey everyone that normally sticks around with us, THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT ROCCO'S PINS, it's that intense!

3:42 - Alright, Rocco ended up on the green, about 40 feet from the hole for birdie, most likely a lag.

3:43 - Hey, it only took NBC seven holes to mention something I talked about nearly ten hours ago, that Tiger's biggest fear is the guy that has nothing to lose. Way to go NBC, I had the 3:15 mark.

3:44 - Ok, Rocco is over his putt already, about to stroke it.

3:45 - Ok, hit a good putt, ran it by about a foot and a half, two feet.

3:45 - He marks, and now Tiger with the birdie putt. Time to show the Tiger chip on 17 Saturday.

3:45 - Hey, T-BONE, a downhill putt for Tiger!!!! Where are you?

3:46 - Tiger stalks the putt, still looking at it from every possible angle.

3:47 - He left it short, Rocco made it for par.

3:48 - Rocco is in the fairway bunker on 18, Tiger jsut hit the fairway, making 18 a virtual par-4 for Tiger Woods.

3:51 - This is getting insane. Mediate is going to have to pitch it down the fairway and Tiger has a good chance to go at it in two with nothing more than a 4-iron.

3:52 - I think it's worth saying that having the Tiger "Intense" Nike Commercial at this moment is almost too high on "what else could they show to make me nervous/excited/crazy/pumped/ahhhhhhhh" scale.

3:52 - Also, people need to understand how important that drive was on 18 for Tiger. He has hit his driver terrible on the back nine and found the fairway.

3:53 - Just got a text from a buddy of mine at ESPN. "This might be the best ever????" Yes buddy from ESPN, i think so.

3:54 - Rocco out of the bunker, a perfect lay-up, just perfect. He's in the rigth side of the fairway.

3:54 - Johnny Miller is trying to make a point right now that couldn't be more confusing if he started talking about calories and a circus clown. Hey Johnny, announcers can choke as well!

3:54 - Tiger and Stevie are talking about distance, he has 217 to the pin.

3:55 - Over water, par-5, one shot down, needs an eagle or birdie with where Rocco is.

3:55 - Maybe the biggest Tiger moment of his life, which is saying a lot. Tiger has a 4-iron from 217.

3:55 - Tiger over the ball....

3:55 - Tiger, with the 4-iron, steps away because of some noise...damn you spectators!!!!

3:56 - Ok, Tiger now over the ball....4-iron, 217.....pin on the right side of the green, he is staring it down, Tiger hits the green from 217, has about a 30-footer for eagle!!!!!!!

3:57 - Let me tell you something, that shot was CLOSE to not getting over the water, I don't care what anyone says.

3:57 - Rocco just walked to his ball, looking at the distance.

3:57 - Rocco has a chance, with a birdie here, to play the last six-holes at four under par at a U.S. Open playoff against Tiger Woods. Also, my heart stopped beating.

3:58 - 123 yards.

3:58 - Rocco is telling it to get down. Ohhh, about 15 FEET FOR BIRDIE FOR ROCCO!!!!!!!

3:58 - Can you BELIEVE THIS?!!?!!?!?!?!?

3:59 - Rocco and Tiger, making the walk up to the 18th green, Tiger putting for eagle, Rocco for birdie, Rocco one shot up on Mr. Woods.

4:00 - The 90th hole of the tournament, Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate, Mediate one shot up. Mediate clapped his second shot on 18, great sportsmanship.

4:01 - Ok, Tiger for eagle on the 18th. He's looking at it from all angles. I'm just goign to say this, if he makes this I might stop watching golf for the rest of my life. It will be the best it can ever be.

4:01 - Tiger, about 35 feet for eagle on 18. Dead. Silent.

4:01 - Stevie tends the flag, Tiger......yikes, ran it by about four feet, left for birdie. Rocco mediate has a chance to win the U.S. Open, oldest first time major winner ever.

4:03 - Rocco Mediate, about 15-feet for a U.S. Open champion.

4:03 - He's looking at it, the guy with the pins, the swimming pool guy, maybe 12 feet.

4:03 - Rocco, over the ball...NOPE, didn't make it, yanked it and ran it by a foot.

4:04 - Now, Tiger Woods, from three-feet for birdie to finish at even par 71 in the playoff. I'm going to say it, Tiger NEVER misses these putts. I know that might be a jinx, but these are the ones he is ICE COLD at.

4:04 - Tiger, looking at it, even calling Stevie over to help read.

4:05 - Tiger, ready to hit it. Three-feet for hole number 91.

4:05 - They are calling for it to be right center, AND A DAMN BIRD FLIES OVER AS HE WAS PUTTING.

4:06 - He resets, looking at it again, and now ready to putt.

4:07 - Tiger, three-feet, HE DRILLS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4:07 - TIGER MAKES BIRDIE, TIGER MAKES BIRDIE!

4:07 - Now, Rocco has two feet for par to force sudden death.

4:07 - ROCCO, MAKES IT DEAD CENTER, SUDDEN DEATH,SUDDEN DEATH, SUDDEN DEATH, SUDDEN DEATH!!!!!!!

4:07 - HOLY HELL, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!??!?!?!?!?! 91 HOLES!

4:09 - Guys, my heart is slowing stopping and it's not from the massive amounts of Red Bull I drink or the fact that I haven't been outside in like nine hours. If you aren't watching this, Tiger is going to send you a box of Nike Golf balls to say sorry.

4:11 - Ok, the first sudden death hole is number 7. I have no idea why, but yeah, number 7.

4:12 - Guys, this is seriously bananas. Golf at it's best. If you're at work, please go punch your boss and blame it on me.

4:13 - Tiger, with his Gatorade Tiger, walks to the 7th tee.

4:13 - Tiger has honors because of the birdie on 18, and has made two birdies on 7.

4:14 - Tiger is going with driver on the 461 yards. Johnny Miller is seriously certifiable at this point, criticizing how much Tiger ate between 18 and the playoff hole.

4:14 - Tiger had to back away again, so many people, plus Johnny Miller.

4:15 - Alright, Tiger on the tee again. He is watching it cloes, IN THE FAIRWAY.

4:16 - And, he cut the corner and it looked like he SMOKED THAT BALL!!!!

4:17 - Right when Rocco hit it he said "NO!" He hit it left and is up against the lip, HUGE advantage for Mr. Woods.

4:17 - That was a swing I haven't seen from Tiger THIS WEEKEND plus MONDAY. Seriously, he hit that HIGH BOMB that he usually hits on long par-5s. I'm assuming the adrenaline is making the knee feel better.

4:17 - Check this out if you have a second and need something AS exciting as we've seen.

4:18 - I'm not one of those sappy sports fans, but it really is sad one of these guys has to lose.

4:18 - The lip of the bunker isn't going to hurt Rocco but he doesn't have a great lie, almost like it rolled one more time over than he wanted. One of those lies he could catch a touch chunky.

4:19 - Ok, Rocco, 183 from the pin, going for it.

4:19 - He yanked it and it HIT THE CART PATH AND MAYBE IN THE GRANDSTANDS, THIS IS WAYYYYY LEFT OF THE GREEN. It might have taken 91 holes, but this could be the end of our Pin Friend.

4:20 - Again, punch your boss in the face just for good measure.

4:21 - Ok, Tiger is obviously in the driver seat of a really, really fast car. He is checking the wind with Stevie, hitting a 9-iron.

4:21 - Tiger, a great angle to this pin, A decent shot, not great, 20 feet below the hole, putting for birdie. HUGE advantage Mr. "13 Majors Maybe 14" Woods.

4:22 - The bottom line, Rocco HAS to get this up-and-down people. No ifs ands or bogeys about it.

4:23 - If you skipped work today (blushes a touch), you are the smartest person in the world (next to me and the 20,000 people at Torrey Pines right now).

4:23 - Rocco having to take a free relief drop from the grandstands, no penalty.

4:23 - Dropping the ball - he drops it and it rolls out of the circle, but it's not a bad lie at all. Rocco is now walking all the way up to the green, about a 30-yard pitch.

4:24 - He has short-sided himself, so he probably can't land this on the green to keep it close.

4:24 - Rocco, a VERY good shot from where he was, to about 18-feet.

4:24 - Honestly, that was all he had, a pitch shot that he HAD to get past the hole.

4:25 - Tiger has about 20-feet or so, for birdie, the playoff win and his 14th major championship victory. Could you think of a person you'd rather have over this putt than the man in red?

4:26 - Tiger just hung around when he didn't have his best stuff, with this putt for a fist-pump to end all fist-pumps.

4:26 - Tiger woods, for the U.S. Open trophy...

4:26 - DEAD CENTER, BUT THREE ROLLS SHORT!!!!!!!!

4:27 - Rocco still has a chance people. About 18-feet for par to win extend this one more hole.

4:28 - Tiger hit a good putt, just left it two inches short.

4:28 - It's a slow putt, Rocco stands over it. NOPE, TIGER WOODS WIN!!!!!!!!

4:28 - TIGER WOODS, WINNER, HOLY WORDS I CAN'T TYPE BECAUSE I MIGHT GET IN TROUBLE, THAT WAS AMAZING!

Harry Varden, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus all have something in common at the U.S. Open -- they've all lost a U.S. Open playoff.

18 holes of grueling, stroke-match play on a golf course that's been beaten to pieces by the USGA, the field and the weather all week long and you're having to grind your way around it for one more day.

Tiger Woods wants to be in the same breath as those players in just about every category but this one, and he's playing a competitor in Rocco Mediate that is just about his worst possible foe, a guy with zero to lose.

Tiger's disappointments have never come from Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia or Vijay Singh in major championship stages, they've been Rich Beem, Zach Johnson and Michael Campbell, men that are just having that week.

Today's U.S. Open playoff is probably the most popular one since Lee Trevino threw a rubber snake at Nicklaus on the first tee at Merion Country Club in 1971, a U.S. Open that belonged to Trevino 18-holes later.

No, it isn't Buster Douglas versus Mike Tyson and it definitely isn't salmon eats bear, but Tiger has been pushed to the brink by a guy named Rocco, who keep smiling and joking and hitting fairways. Mediate probably won't win, because he's facing You Know Who, but it sure will be fun to see the two battle.

Just to stir the fire, only one has ever lost a playoff on the PGA Tour, and it isn't the man with a Peace sign belt buckle.

I really can't remember the last time I've found the U.S. Open more enjoyable. A tournament that usually has people looking like the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, the course has been fair and the players have appreciated the set-up.

Also, it never hurts when Tiger Woods, after eight weeks off from competitive golf, is one shot back, making fist-pumping eagles and shooting a completely alien five-under 30 on the back nine yesterday.

You've had Phil Mickelson do things that, well, don't surprise you from Phil, Ernie Els bring form to the U.S. Open that we haven't seen since Brett Favre was winning a Super Bowl and even a caddy--spectator fight!

Before you tune in to coverage this afternoon, check the list of players in the top-10, their current position, some facts about them and the FanHouse odds on them winning.

You know, too many times we focus on the golfers that are playing well at a certain PGA Tour stop.

It's easy journalism, with the available quotes and the abundance of pictures of the winners smiling and kissing their wives with champagne in one hand and that million dollar check in the other.

I think it's worth taking some time to look at a few golfers that have no chance of winning this year's U.S. Open.

First, our defending champion Angel Cabrera stopped smoking in a fit of obvious dementia, something most would find beneficial to a man that has to trudge up and down a long stretch of land six times a week. Bad idea, says his scores.

Cabrera made almost double the amount of bogeys (9) as pars (5) in his first round, struggling to a 79 that was only found itself below that dreaded 80 mark with birdies on his last two holes. El Pato shot 43 on the outward nine and is currently in a tie for 126, needing just 125 people to eat a bunch of tomatoes in the next few hours to be in the hunt.

If the Masters has birds chirping, wind blowing and spectators enjoying those yummy sandwiches, the U.S. Open has cussing, club throwing and head scratching.

It isn't supposed to be easy at our national championship and this year at Torrey Pines should continue that trend.

Luckily, the morning round will be exciting with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson paired together, so Shane Bacon will be all over it with a Live Blog set up at 11:30 A.M. Eastern to follow the top two golfers around the course.

Is Tiger's knee hurting him? Is Mickelson going to post something impressive in his first round? Did Adam Scott just take a girl in the port-a-potty?

Log in, ask some questions, give your comments, and just make your Thursday a little better.

We've come to the end, so enjoy your last (extended) installment of the FanHouse Media Guide.

• D.J. Trahan -- CUT -- At 27, he's one of the better golfers on tour nobody's heard of, winning the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic earlier in the season. His dad recorded 13 career aces, which makes me hate Poppa Trahan 13 times more than I hate a normal person.

• Jonathan Turcott -- DNP -- A terrible start to the year, Turcott didn't cash a check in his first five Nationwide tournaments. A little better of late, Turcott has made six of his last eight cuts.

• Kevin Tway (a) -- DNP -- Son of 1986 PGA Championship winner Bob Tway, Kevin can hold his own, winning the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2005. A freshman at Oklahoma State, Kevin will have dad on the bag to help out around Torrey Pines.

• Scott Verplank -- t-7 -- A trivia question to stump your buddies, Verplank is the only American golfer to record a hole-in-one in Ryder Cup competition. Also, in a fit of lunacy, said the Bryon Nelson Championship is a "fifth major" after he won in 2007. In unrelated news, the Augusta National golf committee still won't allow me a spot in the Masters because they don't consider the "Lakeside Fourth of July Scramble" a professional golf victory.

• Camilo Villegas -- t-26 -- The Sand Trap has a pretty good outline on why people love Villegas, I just haven't landed on board yet. He has never won a PGA Tour event but continues to finish high enough at the end of the year to retain his card. Oh, and he's really strong looking.

• Nick Watney -- CUT -- A win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last season was his first on tour, but he's having more trouble in '08. He's only missed two cuts, but he isn't finishing his rounds, breaking 71 just once all year in the final round.
  

• Bubba Watson -- t-5 -- Maybe my favorite golfer on tour, Bubba hit a drive in 2006 398 yards. Watson's wife Angie played in the WNBA and is an inch taller than him. He's struggled some this season, carding only one top-10 in 16 starts.

• Boo Weekley -- t-26 -- His two wins on tour came at the same event, the Verizon Heritage. Was asked once what season it was, and answered "deer." I haven't found online evidence that Boo is a member of Mensa, though I have a hunch.

• Mike Weir -- t-3 -- Weir has made seven of nine cuts at the U.S. Open and five top-10s, a stat that is pretty definitive of the caliber of player he is. A tie for second at the Memorial two weeks ago has Weir in top form heading to a tournament some feel he could win despite his length.

• Lee Westwood -- t-5 -- Westwood hasn't had a top-10 finish in a major since 2004, but he did make the cut in all four last year and in the Masters earlier this season. According to Wikipedia, he supports a soccer team named the "Nottingham Forest" which even my weird brain can't believe is true.

• Brett Wetterich -- CUT -- The 2006 Byron Nelson champion hasn't had a great year, with his best finish a tie for 36. His dad started teaching him golf at age 2, the same time my parents were finally figuring out what to call me.

• Dean Wilson -- t-30 -- Wilson is one of those guys that without checking, you know was born in Hawaii. A winner of the now deceased International in 2006, Wilson has made six cuts heading into the U.S. Open.

• Jeff Wilson (a) -- 59 -- Wilson, 44, won the Southern California Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship with rounds of 67-66-73 and finished third in the Santa Barbara City Championship before heading to U.S. Open qualifying.

• Oliver Wilson -- CUT -- I've never heard of this guy, but he's got an awesome homepage and he drinks Sugar Free Red Bull. Nobody believes me that Red Bull is good for you, but Wilson drinks it and is third on the European Tour Order of Merit so it must do some good.

• Casey Wittenberg -- t-36 -- Pretty interesting, Wittenberg shot a four day total of 296 at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, the second best score ever by an amateur. Playing well on the Nationwide Tour, he's currently 13th on the money list.

• Tiger Woods -- WON -- Honestly, what else can you say? The U.S. Open starts tomorrow people and we get to see Tiger play for the first time in ages.