Why do you have to like Tiger Woods in Monday's playoff against Rocco Mediate at the U.S. Open?
Here's why: Woods is 10-1 in playoffs at PGA Tour events, with his lone loss coming against Billy Mayfair at the 1998 Nissan Open. Of Woods' 10 playoff victories, two have come in majors: at the 2000 PGA over Bob May and at the 2005 Masters over Chris DiMarco.
But this will be Woods' first 18-hole playoff as a professional, as well as his first playoff at the U.S. Open.
Mediate also has a strong playoff record on the PGA Tour. He's 2-0 in playoffs, with victories over Curtis Strange (1991 Doral-Ryder Open) and Steve Elkington (1993 Greater Greensboro Open). But he's never won a major in a playoff, like Woods has done. Twice.
This will be Mediate's first 18-hole playoff as a tour competitor, as well as his first playoff at the U.S. Open.
The last 18-hole playoff at the U.S. Open occurred in 2001, when Retief Goosen beat Fort Worth's Mark Brooks at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.
_ Jimmy Burch
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