Rocco Mediate has become Rocky with a golf club.
Mediate went 91 rounds against Tiger Woods only to lose the U.S. Open in sudden death. And yet, Mediate is American sports’ latest star when the AT&T National begins tomorrow at Congressional Country Club. He’s on the couch with Jay Leno, drawing bigger galleries while becoming the PGA Tour’s centerpiece despite not winning in six years.
“Everybody’s watching — I don’t mind that,” Mediate said. “I’m not changing a thing. I proved to myself I can hang.”
That Mediate lost hardly matters to golf’s followers. A journeyman likened to someone who would clean Tiger’s pool nearly cleaned the latter’s clock. Woods needed final hole miracles two straight days to force an extra round and then an extra hole. Mediate was never supposed to win, but he never folded, either.
“The coolest thing that happened is … people came to say, ‘My mother never watches golf and my brother hates golf, but we watched the whole thing,’” Mediate said. “It was a 45-year-old against ‘the man.’ A lot of people who didn’t watch the game and certainly didn’t know me [said] ‘We put on our computers’ [to watch the playoff at work.]”
Ironically, Tiger’s tournament may now be Mediate’s moment. Woods is out for the year following knee surgery after beating Mediate despite a torn knee ligament. Now the runner-up can become the successor.
“I wish [Woods] was here. I wish he wasn’t hurt,” Mediate said. “The Tour is doing just fine, but it’s not the same without him. … We need him. It’s as simple as that.”
Mediate’s legend comes despite a sketchy resume. A bad back cost five years of his career in the 1990s after winning two Tour events. He hasn’t won since 2002 and managed only three top 10 finishes last year. After missing 8 of 12 cuts this season, Mediate concentrated on just making the weekend rounds and finished 55th, 54th and 70th.
Everything changed in the Memorial last month. Four steady rounds left Mediate sixth despite breaking 70 once. It was the proper prep for the U.S. Open given he lives for long courses where finishing at par is an accomplishment. After four rounds, Mediate was 1-under and forced to play another day when Woods rallied on the final hole.
The victory further enhanced Woods’ legend, but it also left Mediate feeling immortal.
“No matter what I go through the rest of my career,” he said, “I think I can do that again, whether I win or not. Nothing will ever compare to the feelings I had. How can you get any more intense than when playing for the national championship against the best player that ever played?
“Maybe next time I’ll do it. I’d love to have the opportunity with him again on a Sunday.”
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
