Rocco Mediate gained the 2024 Constellation Furyk & Associates occasion in early October.
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It’s not simple to turn out to be a U.S. Open legend with out ever profitable the match, however few would disagree that Rocco Mediate matches the invoice.
Whereas the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions veteran has put collectively a stellar profession — that includes six wins on the PGA Tour and 5 extra on the Senior Circuit — he’ll perpetually be recognized for essentially the most high-profile lack of his profession.
At the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, Mediate dueled with Tiger Woods on the peak of his powers (albeit with a bum knee and fractured leg). On the finish of 72 holes, Rocco and Woods had been knotted on the high.
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Since there are not any attracts in stroke-play golf, a playoff was vital to find out the winner. On the time, the U.S. Open known as for an 18-hole playoff. So the pair returned to Torrey Pines on Monday morning to play their fifth spherical of the week mano a mano.
Extremely, after the 18-hole playoff was full, Mediate and Woods had been nonetheless tied, and it moved to a sudden-death format, which Tiger completed off on the very first gap for his 14th main championship win, and his final earlier than his comeback victory on the 2019 Masters.
The playoff lives on in golf legend, however it would by no means occur once more. In 2018, the U.S. Open ditched the 18-hole playoff in favor of a two-hole combination playoff.
Now a number one participant on the PGA Tour Champions, Mediate gained the Constellation Furyk & Associates in early October and is certified for subsequent week’s season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
However he nonetheless can’t get away from questions on that ’08 U.S. Open. Such was the case on Monday in Phoenix, at an occasion selling subsequent week’s match.
In keeping with Golfweek, when the subject of the U.S. Open got here up, Mediate had the additional holes on the forefront of his thoughts and supplied up a sizzling take about main playoffs.
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“The 18 gap playoffs are over. Which is ridiculous,” Mediate reportedly mentioned. “Each main ought to be an 18-hole playoff. And in case you tie, it ought to be 18 extra. It’s a significant. It’s not a standard occasion.”
The U.S. Open was the final main to function the 18-hole playoff Mediate pines for. The PGA Championship requires a three-hole combination playoff. The Open Championship’s playoff is a four-hole combination.
The Masters initially sported a 36-hole playoff, then switched to an 18-hole playoff till 1976. Since then, the inexperienced jacket has been decided by sudden demise, which notably attracts Mediate’s ire.
“Sudden demise at Augusta Nationwide? What? The Masters, we’re simply going to have one gap?” Mediate mentioned.
And if he hadn’t been clear about which means it, Mediate put some extent on it.
“one hundred pc critical. one hundred pc critical,” Mediate mentioned. “‘Oh however TV’. I don’t care about TV. I need the trophy,”
The 2024 Charles Schwab Cup Championship will get underway Thursday, November 7, at Phoenix Nation Membership. Mediate will start the week in twentieth place within the 36-player discipline.
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