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

When his knee hurting so badly that he sometimes grimaced in pain and used his clubs as a crutch to make his way down the fairways, Tiger Woods gave a master class in guts, concentration, and skill at Torrey Pines yesterday during round three of the US Open.

Five strokes off of the lead coming into the 13th hole, Woods eagled 13 and began a rally that would turn that five-stroke deficit into a one-stroke lead before the round was finished. In addition to the eagle at 13, he lucked into a birdey at 17th when his chip shot one-hopped into the hole. But, with Tiger luck is a by-product of his incredible skill, which he displayed at 18, sinking a 30+-foot putt for the sole lead in the tournament.

Tiger is historically unbeatable when he has sole possession of the lead. He hasn’t been topped in more than seven years when he’s led at the beginning of the final round.

Still, Woods’ knee is the great variable. His amazing concentration seems able to put aside the pain, but he admitted to NBC reporters that the knee was getting worse each day of the tournament. If he can make it through another 18 holes this afternoon, will he pay a price later with his injury? Let’s hope that the price of winning the Open is not that great.

If you missed the round yesterday, below are the Tiger highlights. It’s golf at its best.

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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

The eyes of the golf world are on Torrey Pines in San Diego this weekend for the US Open. The Champions Tour, LPGA, and Nationwide Tour all have the week off. In fact, 12 Nationwide Tour members, including round one leader Justin Hicks, are playing in the Open.

Many European Tour players are also in San Diego, but there is a tour event in Saint-Omer in the north of France. It is not televised in North America.

Television coverage of the US Open begins at 3pm both Saturday and Sunday on NBC.

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Post from: Green Posse

Veteran American golfer, Mark Calcavecchia withdrew from the US Open today after just nine holes, citing an injured left knee and foot.

Calcavecchia was 8 over for the day when he walked off of the course. This is his 20th US Open; he has withdraw or failed to make the cut 10 times.

Calcavecchia won the British Open in 1989. He has 24 PGA Tour wins, the most recent of which was the PODS Championship in 2007.

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Post from: Green Posse

Ernie Els and Lee Westwood signed autographs on their way to the 18th green.

Phil Mickelson worked on his short game.

The Japanese contingent, Toru Taniguchi, Ryuji Imada, and Shingo Katayama, practiced together

Tiger returned.

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Post from: Green Posse

It’s here. The 2008 US Open begins June 12 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California. About is a lay-out of the course, recent past winners, and other US Open facts.

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Post from: Green Posse

The USGA has announced the pairings for the first two days of the US Open at Torrey Pines, which begins June 12. The most exciting of these is the threesome of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Adam Scott. They will tee-off at 806am on Thursday.

Also worth watching are K.J. Choi with Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker (at 722am); Stewart Cink with Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh (at 1252pm); and Trevor Immelman with Zach Johnson and Mike Weir (at 103pm).

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Post from: Green Posse

It’s not just the top amateur and professional golfers that have their sights set on the US Open, to be played June 9-15 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California. Top athletes in a number of other sports are among the 8043 hopefuls that have entered the local qualifying rounds.

Among these athletes are Grant Furyk (pictured above), whose non-golf accomplishments include five Stanley Cup championships, being a five-time NHL all-star, and being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Others seeking to qualify for the Open include former tennis champions, Michael Chang and Ivan Lendl; former MLB third baseman, Chris Sabo; ex-NFL quarterback, Billy Joe Tolliver; and NHL goaltender, Mike Dunham.

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Post from: Green Posse

It’s nice to see the networks are giving golf the respect the game deserves–at least for the US Open. The final two rounds of the event, held this year at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California from June 9 – 15, will be broadcast on NBC, with round three concluding at 10pm EDT and the final round ending at 9pm EDT.

Three of the next five US Opens will take place on the West Coast, so this might just be the beginning of a trend. Let’s hope so.

^{(photo of Kevin Stadler at Torrey Pines © Newscom)}

Post from: Green Posse