The Greatest Comeback in Golf History

SAN DIEGO - JUNE 15: Tiger Woods reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate during the final round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 15, 2008 in San Diego, California.As Tiger Woods watched Rocco Mediate birdie the first hole of their US Open playoff in June 2008, golf fans also knew that they were watching something special. Woods is no stranger to gripping finishes in major tournaments, yet there was something different about Woods’ exploits at the 2008 US Open.

Tiger Woods went into the 2008 US Open after a two-month layoff during which he had to undergo knee surgery. After starting the 2008 golf season as a favourite to take all four majors, Woods was watching the season slip away from him as indifferent form and injury took their toll.

While being some way off his best form, Tiger Woods held on for the first two rounds of the 2008 US Open, playing through the pain barrier to stay in touch with the tournament leader. Despite his lack of form, touches of genius by Woods saw him edge into the lead going into the final day of play.

Mediate Dominates

SAN DIEGO - JUNE 15: Rocco Mediate plays a bunker shot on the 13th hole during the final round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 15, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Rocco Mediate took the lead in the tournament early on the 4th day, before Woods slowly but surely hunted him down. The 45 year old was in the clubhouse with a 1-stroke lead when Woods strode onto the 18th green needing to make a birdie. Woods duly sunk the shot, forcing an 18-hole playoff.

Remarkably, Mediate held his nerve as the tournament entered an additional day of play for the first time since 2001. The American watched Woods build a three-stroke lead on the front nine, before launching a comeback of his own on the back nine to take the lead on the 18th hole.

Mediate’s brilliance over the back nine, which included 3 successive birdies, looked certain to end Woods’ brave campaign. The world number one required a birdie on the final hole, and this seemed to be too much to ask of a golfer who had given all that he could to push the tournament into a playoff.

Sudden Death

SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: Rocco Mediate (R) and Tiger Woods walk off the tee on the first hole during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty ImagesWoods refused to give up, and Mediate was forced to watch in amazement as Woods produced a birdie to order, forcing a sudden death playoff. Watching Woods snatch salvation from the jaws of defeat for the second day running proved to be too much for Mediate, whose game crumbled on the first hole of the sudden death playoff.

Despite pain and fatigue, Woods remained steady on the first hole of the playoff, scoring par and transferring all the pressure onto Mediate. Mediate’s nerves were not up to the final act of the tournament, and the 45 year old pulled two shots, with his second finding a bunker. Mediate found the green on his third shot, leaving himself with a 12-foot putt for par.

Victory!

U.S. Open Championship - Final Round SAN DIEGO - JUNE 15: Tiger Woods reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate during the final round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 15, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

There are few players of the calibre of Tiger Woods in world golf, as Mediate discovered when his make or break putt curved painfully to the right of the 18th hole, handing the 2008 US Open title to Woods. The victory was instantly hailed as one of Woods’ greatest, as well as one of the most triumphant comebacks in golf history.

Injury Woes

SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: Tiger Woods reacts to missing his birdie putt on the 19th hole of the playoff during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California.However, Woods’ achievement at the 2008 US Open came at a heavy cost. Five days of play served to aggravate his knee injury, and a medical check-up revealed the sensational fact that Woods had played through, and won, the 2008 US Open despite having a double stress fracture of his left tibia. The injury was severe enough to rule Woods out of competition for the remainder of the 2008 golf season including the US PGA Championship in which he will not be defending his title.

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