When Tiger Woods told us about his knee surgery and that his season was over, the door opened for someone new to get some of the attention in golf.
We all remember Tiger's remarkable U.S. Open Victory at Torrey Pines, but we also remember another story as well. The rise of the little guy.
The likable guy from Pennsylvania taking on the legendary Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines. If you first heard the story you may have laughed, or thought that it was a joke, but it was very real.
That likable guy from Pennsylvania was Rocco Mediate, and it was no joke. Rocco and Tiger went to a 19-hole playoff at the U.S. Open. Rocco had captured the heart of America, but nobody really expected him to stick with Tiger.
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Well the rest is history. Tiger pars on the sudden death hole, where Mediate bogeys. One of the most incredible happenings in the history of the U.S. Open.
So why is it being brought up again, more than a month later?
Well, Mediate is trying to make the event more than just a one shot deal and is taking a chance at a Tigerless event, the British Open. Rocco's best finish in this event is 16th, back in 1996.
So, how did the U.S. Open's runner-up fare in round one?
He leads the tournament, despite teeing off in the very weather-stricken morning. Mediate shot a -1 69 in the first round.
Most people thought that his incredible showing at Torrey pines was a fluke, but he has began to prove us wrong.
Among golfers that teed off in bad weather conditions was Phil Mickelson, the man who is ranked #2 in the world behind Tiger Woods. Mickelson shot a +9 79 in the first round. He will likely not compete to win the event, but will attempt to make the cut.
This little bit shows us how good Mediate's performance was. Not even the world's #2 golfer was able to shoot a good score in that weather, but Mediate was.
He has obviously come a long way and it should be fun to watch him compete for an Open Championship. If he wins, he just may be the man that takes the spotlight of golf while Tiger is out.
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