The American Spectator

I must admit to have been pulling hard for Rocco Mediate to win the U.S. Open today. What a great personality! But it also is now beyond a doubt that Tiger Woods is superhuman. I don’t think the world of sports has ever seen an athlete so amazingly able to make THE shot again and again and again and again and again and again and …. you get the picture — when everything is riding on the outcome. His performance Saturday afternoon, with the two long-distance eagle putts plus the chip-in on 17, was one for the ages. And then to come down to 18 today needing birdie, only to hit a bad drive AND a bad second shot, and yet STILL make birdie after all, was a thing to behold. His third shot, from the rough, with spin, to just the right spot on the green, was … just not human. To put that shot from that lie to within 9 feet was inexplicable. And then, of course, he made the quick, downill, breaking, bumpy putt, barely breaking into the very side/corner of the cup. Birdie. Playoff. Bad knee or no bad knee, Tiger is a lock for the title. Rocco, at age 45 and a short hitter, is a goner.

I also must note that although I had the names wrong, my column Thursday called the situation exactly right: one guy in the clubhouse, one stroke ahead of the final twosome, with Tiger and his playing competitor both off the fairway after their drives, both needing birdie to tie. I called it. And now I’m calling it for tomorrow: Tiger wins by about six strokes.