Ever since his challenge to Tiger Woods in this year’s US Open, veteran golfer, Rocco Mediate has become the player of the ordinary man. However, this isn’t going to be the week to see Mediate kissing a trophy. Having ended the third round in the middle of the pact, he’s fallen to the bottom of the leader board after 12 holes in the fourth round with a +9 so far for the day. I imagine Rocco’s praying for another rain storm.

Post from: Green Posse

After a cold, rainy, and dreary day at Royal Birkdale for the first round of Britain’s Open Championship, it was Rocco Mediate sharing the lead with Stuart Allenby and Graeme McDowell. It was just last month that Mediate went head-to-head with Tiger Woods in an 18-hole playoff at the US Open, eventually losing to Woods, but winning the affection of golf fans around the world. Today he proved that the US Open wasn’t a fluke.

Mediate ended the day with back-to-back birdies to card a 1 under 69. The trio is followed by Greg Norman (yes, that Greg Norman–the father, not the son), Bart Bryant, and Adam Scott at par. The top-ranked player in the field, Phil Mickelson finished with a 79.

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Post from: Green Posse

OWN YOUR WORDS, PEOPLE!

In another in an all too frequent trend, NBC golf commentator, Johnny Miller apologized today for his rude remarks about Rocco Mediate during the network’s coverage of the US Open. Miller, winner of the 1973 Open and the first golfer to be inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame, said something to the effect that “guys named Rocco don’t win the US Open” and a few other choice remarks. This despite Mediate’s superlative performance in the tournament and his toughness in matching Tiger Woods almost stroke for stroke in the last 19 holes.

Last winter, there was a similar incident involving the Golf Channel’s Kelly Tilghman.

Why do these things “blurt out”? In my opinion, it’s because such rudeness is considered acceptable in the clubhouse among friends or at an after-golf cocktail hour. Until rudeness is as abhored behind close doors as it is on TV, we’ll continue to have these unfortunate happenings again and again.

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Post from: Green Posse

WOW! In what Tiger Woods called the “greatest tournament I’ve ever had,” the number one player in the world defeated the unlikely, but worthy challenger, Rocco Mediate to win the 108th US Open Championship. It is his 14th win in a major tournament and his third US Open title.

The win was not an easy one, however. Mediate stayed with Woods through 18 holes, sinking birdies at 13, 14, and 15, eventually watching Tiger sink a 10-foot putt at 18 to send the tournament into a sudden death playoff.

They returned to the 7th hole, a hole that has favored Woods and today was no different. He drove solidly onto the fairway while Mediate went from one bunker to the next. However, Mediate’s last putt could have sent the match to another hole, but it was not to be. Rocco missed and Tiger won his third US Open.

Rocco Mediate has every reason to be proud of himself going head to head with golf’s very best. In addition to the sizeable paycheck, he’ll rise 111 places in the World Rankings with his second place finish.

Those who say that golf is boring and is losing its appeal should be silenced for the near future. No one could possibly have called this weekend’s tournament dull.

WOW!

Post from: Green Posse

If you’re like me, you’ve been vaguely aware of Rocco Mediate for years, but never really knew much about him…until this week. Now that he’s in a playoff for the 2008 US Open Championship with Tiger Woods, all eyes are on him. But who is this veteran player that’s challenging the best in the world? Here are a few facts about Rocco:

• He’s 45 years old. (If he wins the US Open, he will be the oldest player to have ever won the tournament.)

• Prior to this week, his best finish in the US Open was fourth in 2001.
• He was nine prior professional wins, the most recent of which was the CVS Charity Classic in 2003.

• He was ranked 158 in the world, coming into Monday.

• He resides in Naples, Florida.
• He’s a Sagitarrius (born 12-17-1962).

• He went to college at Florida Southern College.

• He turned pro in 1985.

• He was born in Greensburg, PA, not far from Arnold Palmer’s home town of Latrobe.

• He was 54th in career earnings on the PGA Tour, at the start of the US Open.

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Post from: Green Posse

I hope you didn’t have anything to do this afternoon, because the US Open’s not over yet. Rocco Mediate, a 45-year old tour veteran from Greensburg, PA is facing the best player in the world, Tiger Woods, in an 18-hole one-to-one playoff match to determine the winner of the 2008 US Open. Tee-off is at 9am PDT (noon EDT). The coverage starts on ESPN and continues on NBC at 2pm.

Yesterday’s round was almost as compelling as Saturday’s. Woods started the day with a double-bogey at hole #1 (again), leaving viewers to wonder about the state of his injured knee. The next hole wasn’t a lot better, but, true to form, he played solid golf for the rest of the round, forcing a playoff with a dramatic, 12-foot, birdie putt at #18. ESPN analysts are saying that today’s round (with no disrespect to Mediate) will be about Tiger’s concentration and skill vs. the growing pain in his knee. We concur.

Kudos have to do to Lee Westwood’s solid play. While less dramatic than that of the two leaders, he ended the tournament one behind the leaders at Even par.

Honorable mentions go to Michael Thompson, the low amateur in the tournament (he tied for 29th) and to D.J. Trahan and Swedish golfer, Robert Karlsson, who tied for 4th at +2.

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Post from: Green Posse

British golfer, Ian Poulter is known for his outlandish fashion. Not every golfer could pull off the pink shirt and plaid pants, but somehow it works on him.

Rocco Mediate is looking good to lead the open (he’s just one stroke behind Appleby going into round three), but not so good in the sweater vest. Best to leave the vests to the under-25 crowd.

There was a sea of orange shirts at Torry Pines yesterday, including this one on England’s Luke Donald. What is it with guys and orange?

Masters winner, Trevor Immelman looks sleek and put together in this white slacks and two-tone shirt combination.

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Post from: Green Posse

Round two of the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines did not disappoint. Kevin Streelman and Justin Hicks learned that carding two good consecutive rounds in the US Open is not an easy feat. They both carded a +6 for the day, leaving them at +3 for the tournament and well behind the leader, Australian Stuart Appleby (pictured above). Appleby grabbed sole possession of the lead with a birdie on 18.

Tiger Woods, playing with a slight limp, showed why he’s the best player in the world. After a rough first hole, he carded a near-record 30 on the back nine to come within one stroke of Appleby. Robert Karlsson of Sweden and Rocco Mediate of the US are also at -2.

Those failing to make the cut include defending champion Angel Cabrera, Zach Johnson, J B Holmes, Steve Marino, K J Choi, and Colin Montgomerie. Ian Poulter of the UK withdrew after round two.

Only three amateurs remain in the competition: Derek Fathauer of Louisville, Mike Thompson of Tucson, and Rickie Fowler of Oklahoma State.

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Post from: Green Posse