Blogging Through Golf History

As I wrote for the Daily Commute blog, every once in a while I like to in-game blog, like my favorite writers John Buccigross and Rick Riley. The U.S. Open Playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate seemed like the perfect event. Historic, tension filled and televised.


11:45 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
I'm settled on the couch with all of my necessities: coffee, bottled water, grapes, chips, lip balm, extra pens and a writing pad. Rocco just gave his pre-round interview sipping on a Starbucks frappachino. The "every man's golfer" is going to need that ice running through those veins today. 18 holes against Tiger? I'd need a frapp pumped intravenously in order to keep my cool. And yes, I feel comfortable enough referring to both golfers by their first name.
11:51
I'm not sure if Scott Van Pelt and Andy North are over exaggerating the David vs. Goliath match up or if they've been underplaying it. A man's first major at 46 after back surgery against a man's fourteenth major after knee surgery. Other than Golf Digest subscribers, who has ever heard of Mediate? The two have had opposite weeks. Mediate has been playing out of his head, consistently hitting greens and fairways. He's not a long driver, but he's solid. Tiger, knee issues or no, couldn't keep his drives on the fairway, needing spectacular short plays that only he can make to get to this point in the tournament. Can he continue to make ridiculous shots to combat his abnormal driving and knee pain?
11:58
The two approach the first tee. I'm getting pumped. Who gets giddy for televised golf? I guess this girl does.
12:02 P.M.
I still don't know who I'm rooting for. I love underdogs, but Tiger is why I started watching golf (like most of my generation). And the playoff begins. Rocco's first drive is beautiful, Tiger's drive bounces off the right ruff and onto the fairway. Wood hitting the fairway on hole one is like a bear not catching any salmon for four days, and on the fifth day in the stream, nabs a whale. If Tiger continues this good start, it may be over quickly.
12:07
The commentators are listed, and Dottie Pepper is not part of the crew. That's a shame -- I really enjoyed her work over the weekend. She wasn't afriad to jump in with real insight while the boys club was yukking it up over something.
12:15
Tiger, even, Rocco +1 after one hole. The first time Tiger's been ahead after one hole all weekend. And now the ESPNBC crew is replaying all of Rocco' midrange putt misses. Yes, he could've been outright champ. And I could've played nose-tackle for the Cleveland Browns, but we can't have everything. The playoff makes for great TV, and is good for the game. Rocco seems like the type of guy who would do anything for the good of the game.
12:20
Another Rocco interview with him sipping on Starbucks. Quick, someone get this man a corporate sponsorship! By the way, ESPNBC aired the entire interview without sound and no one in the truck noticed. But the soft chirping of birds and the caddy-talk is a rather peaceful sound.
12:42
The two golfers traded bogies and birdies, giving Rocco a 1-stroke lead going onto the fourth. The fourth is one of those holes running along the ocean. I bet this is one of those places where candle and air freshener designers come to determine what "Ocean Breeze" really smells like. What I would do for smell-o-vision. Tiger hits his second shot in the rough. He looks so frustrated it's making me uncomfortable. Rocco just used a hybrid club to get 25 feet from the hole. A hybrid, eh? Environmental enthusiasts everywhere have found their golfer. Quick, someone get that man an audience with Al Gore!
12:45
ESPNBC is re-airing the Roccobucks interview, this time with the sound. There really was no point to showing it now, except to waste time while the golfers walk the course. I wonder how many hours of extra footage the crew had to come up with to fill time inbetween shots.
12:48
Tiger lifts one to within one foot of the hole. Beautiful. Never count him out. Rocco's long putt goes 6 inches past Tiger's mark. This is great golf. Both par, and onto the fifth.
12:51
The NBC broadcast crew is hyping ESPN Monday Night Baseball. I wonder if this is as awkward for them as it is for us to hear it. And how on Earth did the bigwigs at ABC/Disney/ESPN okay this partnership? You would've thought ABC would jump all over the tourney rights.
1:02
What a shot from the cart path from Rocco. Each golfer answers the challenges from the other. I hope DVDs of this playoff will be made available, so we can show our kids and grandkids what the best of golf looks like.
1:19
I'm watching Rocco follow his shots, and it makes me feel like I'm watching my brother playing MarioKart. They both lean at every curve, grimacing and smiling depending on their success. One more endearing quality that makes him the everyday fan's man.
1:34
Tiger takes a 2 shot lead on a perfect putt. The announcers have been focusing on how he took over-the-counter pain killers yesterday during the round, and they seemed to loosen him up. As a Brett Favre fan, any mention of pain killers during competition makes my stomach turn. I'm sure it's no big deal, but if too big of a deal is made of it, it could cloud the eventual winner's achievement, no matter who it is. Only 25 minutes until ESPNBC switches to NBCSPN, and we trade Scott Van Pelt and Andy (Go Badgers!) North for Bob Costas and Curtis Strange at the desk.
3:00
Oops. I fell into the time honored trap of the golf-nap. The calm, quiet tones of the announcers, the chirping birds, the serene vistas ... snore. I missed the 10-13th holes. Tiger has a one shot lead, but it had fluctuated greatly during my siesta. Rocco's comeback from 3 shots behind will be talked about for a long time. Thank goodness this is an 18-hole match. By the way, I've heard the announcers use the word "chunky" more this weekend than at a peanut butter convention. Ooh, Rocco birdied the 14th to pull back to +1, even with el Tigre. Ahh, the drama.
3:13
Is Tiger falling apart? He's in the right bunker on 15 with a lousy lie. If Rocco gains another shot on Tiger, he will have dropped four shots in a row. And Rocco's second shot is terrific. In terms of history, the most important part may not be whose name goes on the trophy, but that Rocco Mediate, the 158th ranked player on the tour, ended Tiger's streak of 13 straight victories when leading after the third round.
3:16
Why would I ever doubt Tiger? That bunker shot? Ended up four feet front he hole. That should be illegal. He should have to play blindfolded or on LSD or something, just to make it fair. I'm amazed at the gallery for a Monday -- very large, very vocal and moving quickly with the players. I'm waiting for a video shot of the cliff to show hundreds of people in Bermudas and visors leaping into the Pacific like lemmings.
3:20
Rocco just dropped in a lovely, curving birdie putt. Tiger's got to make this putt to keep up with Mediate. That's not something you write often. Wow, missed it badly. Tap in for par and onto the 16th. I think I can feel the tension in my living room.
3:39
Listening to Tiger and his caddy, Steve Williams, discuss yardage and wind before every shot is a treat. This is something you just don't get while TV coverage bounces from hole to hole to cover every golfer. Williams just backed Tiger off and told him to switch clubs. A true partnership, Williams' advice put Tiger on the green 20 feet from the pin.
3:48
With a one-shot lead on 17 and a four foot putt, how would you react? Rocco nails it. On to the 18th, Rocco at Even, Tiger at +1. 18 is a par 5 and Tiger gobbles up par 5's. Rocco's in the bunker. Tiger is liming and grimacing, but he's in the fairway. I smell sudden death. Or that may be the cold coffee in my mug.
3:52
The commercial with Earl Woods talking about Tiger's toughness is really moving, and appropriate for this tournament. Kudos to Nike for putting it together.
3:55
NBC is interrupting golf for a tornado warning in Pennsylvania. Thank goodness Tiger takes so long to set up his shot - we missed nothing, except for a few heartbeats. Tiger is on the green in two, and Rocco's third shot will need to get on the green perfectly to keep the lead.
3:59
Rocco nailed it. Rocco nailed it, 10 feet from the hole. He deserves the roaring ovation he's getting while walking up the 18th.
4:03
First whole-body shiver of the day. Tiger misses an eagle putt by three feet and Rocco has to make this putt to secure the win. And as I write, the air comes out of the crowd as Rocco misses it by the same amount as Tiger.
4:05
I can feel my heart beating through my shirt. Assuming Rocco makes his putt, if Tiger makes his, his birdie forces sudden-death. If he misses it, Rocco Mediate, U.S. Open Champion.
4:08
Tiger birdies 18 AGAIN. Eagle Saturday, birdie Sunday, birdie Monday. On to sudden death. I can't imagine what they're going through. I'm dying here. Like I said, I want a DVD and I want a one-by-one inch square of Rocco's sweat towel in a trading card, like the game-worn jersey cards. Autographed is preferred, unwashed is required.
4:16
Sudden Death Hole #1: I still don't know who I'm rooting for. Why does someone have to lose? Can't they both win? My air conditioning is shutting off when the quiet sign goes up in fear of Tiger's glare. It becomes more and more apparent, by each shot, that Rocco's miss on 18 really did take the air out his game. You have to feel for this guy. He sticks with Tiger for 72, then 90 holes, and on the 91st, he hits a bad drive and a wild second. The crowd is chanting "lets go Rocco" -- since when does a golf-crowd do chants? The magic of this playoff is appearing over and over again.
4:27
I don't want this to end. Tiger leaves a putt two inches short, and leaves the door open for Rocco. A 15-foot putt to continue the sudden death. The whole world is holding its breath.
4:29
The putt roles just past the hole. Tiger adds to his legend, and the world has a new favorite, Rocco. I'm happy, I'm sad, and most of all, I'm so glad I was able to watch this golf history being made. Four-and-a-half hours later, I am filled with golf's glory. Bring on the British!


Tuesday update:
Although I feel competent in my telling of this story, I found another voice who chronicled the feelings of the day much better. For a more concise and generally better telling of the match, visit http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3447810&sportCat=golf&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos2.

I had a similar experience to Wojo, watching the 2006 World Cup Championship match in an O'Hare Airport bar with soccer fans of all countries and economic levels. When my plane landed, the flight attendant announced that Italy had won, and half the plane cheered and half booed.


What would our life experience be like without the moments like these that sports produce?