Greatest U.S. Open ever desperately needs Tiger-Rocco playoff to live up to prior drama

LA JOLLA, Calif. (June 16, 2008) - The danger in this 18-hole U.S. Open playoff is that a tournament packed with crazy dramatics - one of those majors that is going to remembered decades from now (is John Feinstein already pitching the book?) - will end with an anti-climatic dud.

This U.S. Open needs more than that, it needs Rocco Mediate to somehow stay close to Tiger for 18 holes and to force another great finish to win it.

This stroke play version of match play is worrisome though. No one seems to outplay Tiger when they’re in the same group. Lee Westwood completely outhit Tiger from tee to green on Sunday and still only posted the same 1-over 73. I’ve seen this type of matchup before. When Tiger Woods and another underdog Stewart Cink were the only two golfers left that mattered in the Match Play Championship, Tiger had the thing won by about the seventh hole.

This Open at Torrey Pines of such thrills deserves more than that. It probably won’t get it though.