Rocco Mediate went the distance against golf's heavyweight champion on Monday, going toe-to-toe with Tiger Woods for 18 holes before finally falling in the US Open playoff.

"I didn't want it to be a walk in the park," said Mediate, the unlikely challenger who stood between Woods and a 14th major championship on Monday morning, after both completed 72 holes at one-under 283.

"It could have been. He's got me by 14 years. He's got me by a thousand yards off the tee.

"And I kept hanging in there, hanging in there, hanging in there. I thought I had him."

Indeed the 45-year-old Mediate went to the 18th tee of the scheduled 18-hole playoff with a one-shot lead over Woods.

Just as he had on Sunday night, Woods birdied the hole to erase the deficit, this time forcing sudden death.

Woods won at the 19th hole of the playoff with a par, after Mediate hooked his tee shot at the par-four seventh. But Mediate said he would leave Torrey Pines without any regrets.

"Truthfully, yeah, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't beat him," said Mediate, who trailed Woods by three strokes through 10 holes and battled back to take the lead. "I'm obviously a little beat up right now.

"But the thing I take from this is, I gave him the best that I had and it wasn't quite good enough. But it almost was.

"It wasn't like I got my butt handed to me today," Mediate added. "I think he enjoyed this competition, and I certainly did. And I know that I can still do this stuff and I certainly did."

Mediate seemed an unlikely candidate for Tiger-tamer. Limited through much of his 23-year career by back problems, he claimed the last of his five US PGA Tour titles back in 2002.

Injury spoiled his run at the 2006 Masters, where he was tied for fourth through 54 holes but ended up shooting 80 in the final round when the chronic ailment flared up.

But Woods said he knew the ebullient Mediate would offer a tough challenge. "I don't think people realize how much of a competitor he is," Woods said. "He's finally healthy, and when Rocco's healthy, he's a hell of a player.

"It's just he hasn't been healthy in years, so now he's finally able to swing the way he can swing and look at the results."

The effervescent Mediate, who charmed the crowds at Torrey Pines as he smiled and waved his way through the tournament, said he refrained from talking much to Woods during their round.

"We just talked a little bit here and there," Mediate said. "I can tell sometimes he doesn't want to bother, so I don't go over and bother him. It was great, it was fun."

Woods said Mediate's ability to switch from seeming nonchalance to focused competitor reminded him of Lee Trevino.

"Rocco, he was loose all day," Woods said. "He was out there talking and having a great time, enjoying the atmosphere ... just talking and smiling and having a great time with it.

"But when it comes down to it, when it's time to hit the shot, he goes into his own little world."

But Mediate said that the world he and most golfers inhabit is not the same one that Woods lives in, which takes the sting out of losing just a little.

"He's remarkable," Mediate said. "When I talk about golf, he doesn't count. he's not normal. He's way above everything.'

AFP

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