U.S. Open Epics: Tiger and Rocco | 2008 U.S. Open Documentary | Tiger Woods & Rocco Mediate

there are lots of elements to a good sports story you can be around it for decades and there's still a possibility that every time you walk into an arena a stadium or onto a golf course that you will see something that in some way is different from anything you have seen before I've always liked blender I played here in junior golf who came down there for the Junior World and I enjoyed playing that I liked this was from 15 to 17 and then when I played here in the Buick Invitational for some reasons I just felt very comfortable coming back to the golf course I've had some success at and just really looking forward to getting out there and playing Tiger Woods obviously arrives as the story because frankly the last time we saw him was at Augusta National what her doctor saying might affect him this week well Scott this is his third surgery on the same knee questions remain about how he will perform and his future here at the US Open do you think if you could win here given the obstacles with your help that this could be your finest victory your finest hour a long way to go before that happens so Tiger never gave on about his injuries too much you know he played through a number injuries when I was coming from and he never let on too much but my first indication was talking to Hank Haney nobody knew for sure what Tigers injury was until and in the severity of it until the doctor came and assessed the MRI that tiger had I'll never forget it I mean we're sitting in Tigers living room and dr. Rosenberg says you know you've got to stress fractures right here I'm listening and I said well okay what's what's the procedure for a stress fracture I didn't know and he said well you know it's like six weeks you know off your leg or you know inactivity and then you can start rehabbing I'm doing the math of my mind I'm thinking that the season's over you know right then Tiger just looked up at the doctor and he said I'm playing in the US Open I'm gonna win hello again everybody I'm Bob Costas along with Dan Hicks Johnny Miller and the rest of the crew we will be with you throughout the day and in most of the country into the night with the US Open Championship at stake I love when these guys say I'm just treating there's another tournament when you see the US Open on the first flag it's not another tournament it's our national championship playing in it you get to know what you have because it's the ultimate test what the USGA tries to do is make it as challenging or four days as possible we're testing every part of your shot making ability so faster greens firmer greens higher rough maybe narrower fairways if there's any part of your game that isn't right that we the US Opens going to expose it ladies and gentlemen from Windermere Florida 2000 and 2002 United States Open champion Tiger Woods I mean you couldn't ask for more start than I got off to I made six on the first hole by the gate and just a terrible mistake I said tire you know you're gonna really have to be patient this next week because I mean yeah sometimes you get a little angry at yourself a little fired up and said you're gonna hit some bad shots headed way way right yeah making friends with all the gallery here hit me this this week had a lot of dad to it to be honest with you know I hadn't walked in 18 holes since Augusta that little stinger just heading into the bunkers left to stinger pull their daddy from that sting myself himself and others probably thought well you know if you don't win the Tomah Targa it's not like you're supposed to win the time and you're playing a big disadvantage you've given your state of the health here you haven't practiced you're playing on one leg I mean you got to really be patient when it reaches this par-5 18th and two it settles for a three and asking for his autograph right now first round saw some names that are quite surprising Kevin Streelman Justin Hicks and Rocco Mediate not the 1 2 3 group you might have expected but kept those guys hang in there and the second day is a new day in that and you think maybe it's 24 hours on from the day before you might be feeling a little bit better but who knows what the next site was gonna bring you don't have them last hole he played yesterday we put it for par at the 18th it was a putt just inside this length he said that won't happen again yeah this actually for the beginning of the round is I would think a pretty important putt Johnny well I'll say slow down ouch my Tiger Woods for par everything mark this is going in I think it makes it once again gonna be a long day that does not look good I don't often see him nervous the fascination the obsession of this tournament made him a bit more nervous he comes up shorten was obviously disappointed that's pressure there's no doubt I was nervous and that's a good thing that means you care Tiger Woods now see if he can make his par the answer would be no so the trouble early interesting opening nine so far for the number one player in the world now Woods as you see a tie for 27th place doesn't take much just making a couple mistakes here and there this golf course will bite you quick he was playing in spikes and that obviously on concrete spikes is not our deal and as he was just about to make contact his right foot its lip and I could hear the crunch in the knee I felt this terrible pain myself and I knew he felt that obviously and I just said to him hey tiger now is about the time we just pack it oh you're gonna be playing lots of maids attempts in your career if this is one tournament I know you've got a fascination with a bit man you might just wreck your whole career here good shout out to the right trying to draw back towards the green the best shot he's hit all day they said you Stevie I'm one of those tournament Tiger never talked about stopping I mean once he started he wasn't gonna stop I guess something went off in his head after that shot - okay that's the most pain I can go through if I can handle that I can handle this torment it was off sports isn't usually kind to the body but there's never excuses you just go play in pace good pace all of a sudden I said rhenium in there from everywhere should be straight up the hill here so Tiger Woods two consecutive birdies now just three back of the leaders you hear those footsteps here they come Tiger started losing confidence after that shot off of the car now and you can see in the swing and is walking the pay's good Pacey shaped beautiful that who would certainly made a move pretty good dip for a guy with four bogeys huh well Tiger is known for his weakened surges and now that he's just one stroke off the lead the other golfers that are in contention they're fully aware of his presence I think we're very much used to it so shouldn't be a surprise it's just a matter of going playing golf he wants to go play golf we want to go play golf and you know I'll be doing my best to accidentally throw a club towards you saw me as you don't think I'd be back here did you thank you you pretty much except when you come to a major championship if you play well and you're doing the last group on the last day nowadays you're probably gonna be playing with Tiger Woods that's the dream that's what you want I mean you don't get a lot of chance to play with the best player because anything especially at my age we're gonna find out I think I can but there's some other guys that might have a different say about that so we'll say I'll give it a shot ladies and gentlemen from Naples Florida Rocco Mediate become the oldest champion ever at 45 years old hand side drawing that toward the center I knew after Friday was over that I was gonna be there on Sunday somewhere I didn't know where I was gonna be close but I knew the whale was swinging the way I was hitting it that I could outlast him just through the air if you can get this in the middle the great he has been aggressive that is a fancy boy but that's a very good shot Rocco I'll tell you Johnny Rocco has got as much support out here right now if anybody after tiger and Phil he's very popular Rocco media is someone that the crabs really identify with he's from Pennsylvania it kind of looks like a blue-collar person looks like he's at an Olympics collecting pins on his hat there looks like some sort of tourist he's got a jovial manner he's always laughing there could not have been a player enjoying himself more and US Open than Rocco Mediate was what Rocco's reaction I did it let's go up to Bob Costas in this case the competition isn't just not a household name he might not be recognized outside his own household his chest there the V of the sweater he still has his player ID on just in case they forget who yes in case you just tuned in tiger with his plus one with a double bogey you know bogey and uh fire behind Rocco and this eagle if you were to somehow get it I think would change the whole championship I really do this could be the one this is a difference Saturday was just one of those days where you actually think the golfing gods are looking after you if anyone's gonna produce some miracles it's Tiger Woods is this is crazy a putters I think it is he could put it all the way 50 yards down the hill couldn't he it's the 13th hole the par 5 a very very difficult to part one that you'd be very pleased to get there into and make a birdie what is targeted it holds on the Saturday tag I played behind him so I watched the antics it was just a fun time for me and the very awkward stance for Roger and this can help the left knee I wouldn't think I was ready to see them I wasn't like oh now I'm dead you don't say that maybe some guys do but I was like yeah let's go this one very makable gearing right to left get your mojo back towards that smile again go to 18 at 1-under par murmurs now around 18 as Tiger does his 18th hole prowl here is it too much to ask one more eagle to practice stroke us he's aiming way left you see that Roger and he's looking way left like two and a half feet second the Tiger Woods this is done and he's in the possession that is that's put away 13 previous major championships going into that Sunday at Torrey Pines Tiger Woods was 13 for 13 when holding the lead after 54 holes in a major he just never folded he's never lost going into Sunday but I didn't care about the statistics there's always a first time for everything left to left again that's three times this week he hit the big pull up here you better get it a good break here otherwise that rough is really tough and he's out with the gallery and that's just whether or not he gets lucky with the trees oh you got it up too quick at the tree you believe this Roger what starts he's had to his rounds this week the worst of his career an attack at that I've never seen him play a hole like this in his whole career undertaking the outride lead for the first time on the last hole yesterday Tigers on the cusp you have given it all back and it's very first haul could it be like a lot of tension in its absolute shock Johnny I don't think anybody can believe what you're watching well he's lost his lead and that doesn't happen often Roger on Sunday there are times when that's done quite a bit you just keep playing you know whatever it is you just keep going forward Packer gets off to a bad start but I'm like he'll be back I remember telling Matthew don't worry about that he'll be back let's not even worry about him I'll behead tutu and Rocco Mediate hundred and twenty seven yard pitching wedge Rocko could see the group behind a baby sand maybe sticks it in there about four or five feet early to get to 2-under par he may be in the lead in a minute Gary took the lead well you could feel the buzz around the course you could hear it he's playing in front of us you know he had a lot of people following them and the crowd was going crazy so there is your leader in the US Open Rocco Mediate yeah he's the character he looks more like the guy cleans Tiger Sloan pull common man with a common van dog ain't got no pedigree you know I think if we're honest with ourselves you weren't thinking that Rocco Mediate was gonna be there at the end on a Sunday you go to remember Rocco Mediate has not one of made attempts at yet whereas Tigers experience in these in sort of situations being ranked number one you have to win golf permits and I can always say that I know how to do this I've done it before when you get no situation you're absolutely watching the scoreboard because you know what holes are a good possibility to birdie and which holes are great possibilities to drop a shot so you are you watching the scoreboard like a hawk this to take over the lead of the US Open Rocco now is to go to 2-under back to Tiger for bar now this judged this doesn't go down moving up named Rocco's got to leave by himself he is not happy about that Johnny you got a gut feeling as we come down the final few bowls here at Horry well you know it's hard to believe that Rocco might win the United States Open guys with the name Rocco don't get on that trophy do they Rocco's stepping in quickly here third to the par 5 hole location just over the water on the right there comes Rocco this appreciates an underdog and boy is he one Morocco has just looked over at the scoreboard so I'm pretty sure he knows where he stays you're grinding your butt off out there it's hard if you let your guard down at all it's over right all that's left for Rocco to post one under here take eyes one shot lead yeah I finished my round I shot one under par for the week and had to go sign my car and wait till the last group finished Morocco and I are standing here watching what's going on at 18 Rocco what's going through your mind I died sawing had I left it all on it I'm all over the golf course out there was the most fun you could ever I could ever have dreamed it would have been and I held myself together somehow alright let's watch what's gonna happen now see what happened time I can't do anything else the longer it went the advantage was getting less and less just the fact that the injury was playing more of a factor one right in the right rough or that's a huge mistake there there's pressure coarser is but you know there's nobody more equipped to handle it than he is you know and I always felt like you know he's Tiger Woods you know he's always got a chance no chance that's such a small window what can he hit it flush you get the right distance Roger makes a mighty lash out at the bottom he's gonna need to make watched it Tiger Woods and first time ever seen not talking the Bronco try to become a first player ever to track down Tiger Woods in a major championship everybody's had the 54-hole lady and this crowd recognizing what through this week nice open so Rocco Mediate I don't think he could have imagined it would come down to Tiger with a putt to time and force an 18-hole playoff the puddle was probably about to enough falls outside right and green wasn't very smooth so I just kept telling myself just make a pure stroke that bounces in if it bounces out so be at least I can hold my head up high and say I made a pure stroke and me Rebecca of course he's gonna make it anybody else it's mine nobody else makes it fun nobody we've got Tiger for 18 holes too there's nothing you could ever ask for then is tomorrow playing the number-one player in the world for the u.s. oh it's the ultimate in golf tomorrow I get to find out if all the stuff I've worked on from my whole golfing life works Morocco's a great player he's had a great career I mean but we're talking about Tiger Woods here you know at that point in time Tiger was not only the biggest name in golf if he transcended the game he didn't just have a greater objective level of skill he had an aura about it the other guy isn't even ranked in the top 100 oh the world thought I was going to get murdered on Monday destroyed embarrassed made a fool off it gave me something to fight out I actually love that do they thought I couldn't win a monk when I woke up on Monday and I knew I was gonna beat this guy there was no way I was gonna lose none Rick give us some context here if Rocco is able to knock off Tiger Woods today and become the national champion sort of where where that would be among the great upsets not just necessarily in golf but just in sport well I've been trying to I was thinking about that because I may be but it would be Buster Douglas over Tyson it would have to be Titanic over iceberg Falkland Islands over England I don't know is crazy it's just amazing if he could pull it out I don't think he can you know Monday was certainly an interesting start to the morning we turn operatory ponds a year all jacked up from the first thing you see is Rocco mediates drifts like Tiger would black pants and a red shirt it's Monday so he doesn't want red on one day does he barely does I were right on Mondays toggles I think he was a little amazed he said Stevie can you believe what he's come on in today I walked over to him good morning is sure good Monday morning everyone on a gorgeous day in Southern California today the number one player in the world Tiger Woods looking for his 14th major title and Rocco Mediate the 158 ranked player in the world trying to become the oldest champion in US Open history at the age of 45 good little good drive here right down the center turning a little bit toward the left hand side very impressive Tigers third playoff and a major perfect record it to and on the right hand side going after pucker it gets a nice this is gonna be an interesting day the personable Rocco Mediate against Tiger Woods under way and then 18-hole playoff to decide the US Open Championship 176 yards for Rocco this one is right not a good shot just a little left to the whole side of good shape drakul in the bucket opening hold of 1810 to decide that met shuttle championship this is a very important part not even close Rocco I'm here to play not to joke around and it is coming in from the right Rocco is in the house walk in the house they mediate I'm just guessing here but my sense of it is that mediate said I'm having the time of my life let's go little pressure on Tiger how about that there's a safe little bat little die in that rock I applied some amazing golf he was out you know the situation didn't get the better from the soil even it's hard to get a flush out of the sand Wow coming out left way left is the pad art path what a bad break it's a Rocco trying to hang on here to a one-shot lead looks pretty good is it firm enough is it far enough both players now at plus one through five holes getting the feeling that he's been playing because of the knee very mediocre golf but now all of a sudden I can feel it he's going into that zone that's the beauty that they right down the flagstick at least a one-shot lead this is mediate for par to stay won back and he does not find the cup but a bogey for him is trailing by two as Rocco's in front of this 10th green with his third I'm not sure that was the best choice you just can't do that against a guy like Tiger but he gives you an opening you have got a snap she got struck a genius by tiger I think what this tournament brought out was woods determination and grit I was gonna finish whether you're a hunter percent or not it doesn't matter you're out there in that environment so let's go he believed who's gonna win that taunt broken leg will not break at night was it broken we don't really know on Monday he seemed just fine this is a big one for Rocco try to match tiger and he does not find the cup and now Rocco mediates Cinderella's story in a great deal of jeopardy it's nom three behind and the world's going on is things over you are three shots back of Tiger Woods with eight holes to play you're done one thing is you gotta remember it in golf when a guy like Rocco comes along or anybody else that's in the same position as he is they have nothing to lose Tigers the only one that's got something to lose because Tigers supposed to win I'm playing for the United States Open had nothing to lose it's a really but that's nothing of course it's something it's huge I said I've had enough of this and walking off the green I said Matthew if I play like I'm gonna put we do what I want to do the last seven holes I'm gonna beat this kid and that's kind of what I said let's go pressive swing there look at this Tiger is up against it here at this long par-4 12th year he pees getting their money's worth in San Diego baby I'm sure Tiger went where'd this guy come from but it's a nice clean hit Johnny just right of the flag the tragedy to here love to get inside a tiger's head right now thinking she knows three up just a little while ago what's going on yes hey what's going on birdies in a row by Rocco Mediate it's got the one-shot lead people went crazy because it was over I was known as by eight not three all of a sudden there's a little different things happening so much drama Tiger and all the lipid around that he did on the golf course and then Rocco Mediate here with just a couple holes left clinging through two times one shot lead over Tiger I went from being in control of us of his tournament to now and I was a ball game three birdies in a row by Rocco Mediate and now Tiger to stay even with Rocco and three holes left I think the crowd could sense a bit of an opposite and we're gonna have this you know blue-collar type guy from Pennsylvania Incas named under that trophy for the US Open lead to the 18th hole I cut at the center of the green Rocko's lead in reality go on assess whether he can hit a better shot than and get it up and in right there with 64 PGA Tour to start since six years ago Tigers lost 41 time's it is thirty eight starts on to it oh it's completely insane because we're tied now now it's a putting contest see I don't have a lead anymore he's got forty feet for Eagle I got fifteen to eighteen feet for birdie if one of us Meg's we win and we go today the age of 45 now I got the puck that I've always wanted I got a putt to win the US Open how many guys say that Manny right I got it now the pressure is ratcheted way up on Rocco especially if Tiger makes this now I got this to stay in the game a par putt to continue this US Open Championship to sudden death Matthew goats what do you think and I said it just has to go in I don't know what it's gonna do that's all I thought I don't know how I'm gonna make it do that but that's what its gonna do a champion sudden death we go for just the third time since it was instituted back in 1954 Rocco and Tiger play an 18-hole playoff we still don't have a winner we got to go one more hole 24,000 people crowding this golf course for just two players they're getting the show this one's going left again Murph toward that bunker that is up against the lip that may not be good at all I don't remember anything like this too bad Rocco looks like the bat tee shot might make him lose the championship plus he does something fantastic he's in trouble to go and I have that same snip that he had earlier today out of a bunker this one is pulled that came out way left you don't like to give Tiger openings too much he usually takes them all growing it is there's the Cinderella story about to end yeah the upper hand on Tiger what for almost an hour now mark he did you know you think about that 18 toll both days he could have won the US Open there just couldn't get much spin coming out of there so he's gonna have to probably make a 20-footer just to win now for tiger that one put him on his knees he wanted he doesn't want any part of watching Rocco putt well can Rocco do what Tigers been doing two golfers now for years he did most likelihood will never get another chance like this he might but in this arena with Tiger Woods probably not this to stay alive and sudden death the great players do great things hence great players normal players do normal things are normal players it's only been a handful of gravity so you normal player one of the most remarkable performances of his career Tiger Woods push her fears through Torrey Pines and wins a third US Open Championship I'm a very much into one player I've had my moments of almost greatness but I'm not a great play by any stretch imagination there's no nothing he can do I mean I did all I could do I did all I could do in this case Rocco ran out of time 14 majors down for tiger Hollywood's would be the most stubborn human being I've come across so when he decides to do something there ain't gonna be that you know the Titanic ain't gonna stop him from doing it he's gonna go he had to go a little extra this time but we watched more vintage Tiger Woods this week Egan's almost didn't want to see either player lose that US Open I mean if there was a way you could have offered that trophy something that would have been a great thing Rocko wouldn't you look back on today what do you think you'll remember most about it I just thought I'd never quit I never quit and I've been beaten down a few times and came back and I got I got what I wanted I got a chance to beat the best player in the world and I came up with just a touch short but I I think I had him a little scared at once which was great he just said great fight to me and that means the world right right there congratulations Rocko thank you the king of Tory Tiger Woods making its way up for another way Stevie's got the trophy there for just a few seconds please join me in welcoming our 108 US Open champion Tiger Woods Tiger congratulations the guys have made a run at yet this is one of the gutsiest runs yeah and everyone knows rock is such a he's a great guy and it was a great battle all day and also a great friendship too this is part of the you know the greatest term I've ever had congratulations tiger thank you very much for it to be dramatic and for it to be memorable it's not necessary that the underdog win only that the underdog gives a great account of himself that weekend was Rocco mediates time he came out of there on his own terms as much of a winner as Tiger Woods I still love talking about it because I get questions every single day still and my wife would go what I said that's the way it is they asking me a question about something they saw that meant something to them it wasn't like the you know Joe's open it was the United States Open you know it was held a battle and I'll never feel that less nothing can happen

Channel: United States Golf Association (USGA)

Views: 3,437,597

Keywords: USGA, United States Golf Association, U.S. Open, US Open, USGA championship, PGA Tour, major championship, golf, professional golf, U.S. Open golf, highlights, golf highlights, sports, sports highlights, 2008 U.S. Open, 2008 US Open, Tiger Woods, Rocco Mediate, Torrey Pines, Torrey Pines Golf Course, San Diego California, golf film, golf movie, documentary, sports documentary, Lee Westwood, playoff

Id: zodrcuCHh3Q

Length: 44min 17sec (2657 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 18 2018