La Jolla, CA (Best E Casino) - When the eagle putt at the 18th hole fell on Saturday night, the 108th U.S. Open ended.
Tiger Woods has won the U.S. Open.
Somewhere, the executive, maybe Dick Ebersol, who green lit NBC's decision to show this major championship in primetime, enjoyed some champagne or a drink with a little umbrella.
NBC gets a major coronation for the world's best player, who just so happens to be a ratings bonanza. And, the Peacock network gets the added bonus of Woods limping around Torrey Pines, placing him in the rarified pantheon of superstar athletes who overcome substantial injury to be champions.
Why is this championship over? History.
Woods has owned at least a share of the 54-hole lead 13 times in major championship history. He was won all 13 of those major championships. Only two playing partners in those 13 final rounds have even beaten his score.
End of story.
Not to Woods.
"You look at staying patient and just staying in the moment, just progressing one shot at a time," said Woods. "It's an old cliche, but it's no more true than at the U.S. Open. You cannot get ahead of yourself at this event."
Allow us to do it for you, sir.
To be fair, Woods is not close to 100 percent physically and can no longer hide it. There have been several instances where a swing has caused Woods to grimace. What's potentially scary is that there is no particular shot or swing that tweaks the knee. At any time, Woods could really do some damage.
Woods should probably not be playing this week. If two or three times a round you are noticeably in intense pain, it's probably too early.
But think about it, he's leading the U.S. Open on one knee. Plus, if things got really bad, Stevie would just carry him out there.
Can anything besides his knee stop him?
Lee Westwood is a fine golfer and on any day can be the best European player in the world. He's played Ryder Cups, he's contended at majors, he's won in the U.S.
Westwood has no major championships and has the added disadvantage of watching Tiger front and center. Playing with Woods in the final round and final pairing is incredibly intimidating. You know going in that he's not coming back to you, so you have to go get him. Aggression at Torrey Pines will drop you down a leaderboard.
Rocco Mediate? Nice story, but I don't think so.
D.J. Trahan? Nope.
Geoff Ogilvy? Possibly, but spotting Woods four shots with one round to go is no way to win a U.S. Open.
So it just doesn't seem possible. There might be one way.
"It's going to take a ridiculous round by one of us to beat him," said Mediate. "If we go out and shoot four- or five-under par one of us, you never know. But you can't ever count anything. It's just you can't really predict anything that's going to happen."
Sure, Rocco.
I predict a Woods' coronation on NBC.
