266 replies to this topic

[RedOctober3829]

Tiger and Rocco tee off at 12 Noon. Coverage begins on ESPN and the Golf Channel at 11:30. ESPN has the coverage from 12-2 and NBC takes over at 2.

Both players are on fumes for different reasons. Tiger's knee is clearly bothering him but he grinded out the week and put himself in position to win another major. He has to get off to a better start than he has in the previous 4 rounds. A double bogey on #1 is not acceptable. He should just take his 3-iron out and put it in the fairway. No matter what Rocco says, he didn't want Tiger to make that putt. He looked absolutely drained in his post-round interviews and I wouldn't be surprised if he comes out and plays poorly. OTOH, he has a great attitude about this tournament and is playing with house money. Who the hell expects Rocco to beat Tiger one-on-one?

I can't wait for this to start. My boss gave me today off before this even started so I too am playing with house money.

[Number45forever]

Look, I think Tiger is going to win, but...Rocco has the best possible attitude going into this day. He'll have fun with it and I think he'll continue to hit fairways and greens. All the pressure in the world is on Tiger. If he loses, it will be the biggest golf upset since Larry Mize beat Norman and Seve. People have echoed Jack Fleck in the 1955 US Open beating Ben Hogan. Hogan never won another major after that. Now, Tiger is certainly not done winning majors, but if he doesn't win today there is all of a sudden a greta vulnerability there. If Rocco Mediate can beat Tiger head to head over 18 holes, than Adam Scott, Phil, Justin Rose, etc. all can too. But, it doesn't matter, Tiger is the best and he's going to win. It'll be fun to watch.

I'm working all day and watching this off DVR tonight. I'll have to avoid the internet all afternoon, but it's worth it. Good luck everyone, see you on the other side.

[Guinevere]

On Saturday, as he finished up, Rocco apparently asked if he was going to be playing with Tiger -- now he gets his wish, and I bet he does fine. He has not one thing in the world to lose.

I adore Tiger, he's one of the most incredible athletes of all time, but as an over-40 athlete myself, I'm rooting for Rocco today

[RedOctober3829]

ESPN is showing live shots of the range/putting green. Tiger is wearing his traditional red with a black sweater vest while Rocco(coincidentally? I think not) is wearing the exact same thing except his red shit is short sleeve while Tiger's is long sleeve. Gamesmenship at its finest.

[Monbo Jumbo]

I'm happy with either outcome - happy if Rocco pulls it off and happy if Tiger notches another major. With Tiger's knee, this is truly 'handicap' golf. It's probably an even match with the knee, but I have to think Rocco will run out of gas at some point.

[Pork Fried Jim Rice]

Anybody care to guess how long this thing will take? I am planning to head to the gym around lunch for a run, and was hoping to catch a decent amount of later coverage. It seemed like from tee off to finish it was about 4 hours yesterday for Tiger's group, I'm not sure if having no one playing in front of them will knock any significant time off or not.

[johnmd20]

I'm happy with either outcome - happy if Rocco pulls it off and happy if Tiger notches another major. With Tiger's knee, this is truly 'handicap' golf. It's probably an even match with the knee, but I have to think Rocco will run out of gas at some point.

The knee could be the great equalizer. Which will make for a solid day. Yesterday, I was wishing they would play a 3 hole playoff. Now, I'm psyched to watch the whole round. Good times.

[The Napkin]

anyone have a link to watch online?

never mind, I rememebered the link. For anyone else looking, try http://channelsurfing.net/

Edited by The Napkin, 16 June 2008 - 10:42 AM.

[Monbo Jumbo]

anyone have a link to watch online?

never mind, I rememebered the link. For anyone else looking, try http://channelsurfing.net/

Outstanding!

Thank you very much!

[PseuFighter]

Outstanding!

Thank you very much!

incredible. i don't even have to turn around to put the tv on.

thank you, internets.

[The Napkin]

what a shot on 3 by Rocco

[The Big Red Kahuna]

He has not one thing in the world to lose.

Well, $500k isn't anything to sneeze at... for a guy that has "only" $13mm or so in career earnings.

[Comfortably Lomb]

Rocco almost aced the third, wow. Looks like he'll be at worst back in a tie with Tiger. Maybe Tiger will even bogey given the lie he has in the bunker.

[mascho]

Rocco almost aced the third, wow. Looks like he'll be at worst back in a tie with Tiger. Maybe Tiger will even bogey given the lie he has in the bunker.

Tiger got out of that plugged lie in the bunker, but still has some work coming back...incredible shot by Rocco there.

[BigMike]

Tiger got out of that plugged lie in the bunker, but still has some work coming back...incredible shot by Rocco there.

For those who can watch.

What course are they playing today? Is it basically the Sunday Course (7200 yards) with the Sunday tee posiitons? Or is it some other layout longer, and a whole new set of tee positions?

[RingoOSU]

From Sobel's blog on ESPN.com:

9:16 a.m.: Good time to discuss the course setup. Here's what I received from the USGA this morning ...

Yardages and hole locations:

• Hole 3: 188 yards (back right tee)
• Hole 6: Tee markers moved forward 14 paces (501 yards to middle) due to challenging left "bowl" hole location.
• Hole 8: 171 yards
• Hole 11: 192 yards (back tee)
• Hole 12: 505 yards
• Hole 13: 539 yards (most forward of three teeing grounds used with hole location on back left shelf)
• Hole 14: 269 yards from tee markers to flagstick (same forward tee as round four. Hole location is front center).
• Hole 16: 225 yards (back right tee)
• Hole 18: 525 yards (to middle of green)

Advantage: Rocco. With all of the forward tees (especially 13 and 14), it should eliminate much of the discrepancy in driving distance.

A few more notes from the USGA: "If the players are tied after 18 holes, the playoff would be decided in sudden death using holes 7, 8 and 18 in rotation."

And I thought this was interesting: "Almost every aspect of the playoff set-up was done prior to Thursday's first round. The only thing undecided was which teeing ground to use on hole 14. We waited to see how things went in Round 4."

I guess they liked how things went.

[FoulkeYouk]

For those who can watch.

What course are they playing today? Is it basically the Sunday Course (7200 yards) with the Sunday tee posiitons? Or is it some other layout longer, and a whole new set of tee positions?

Sobel's got a live blog going (although he's slower than the good folks at SoSH), and he covers the changes before the round began.

link

EDIT: Quote removed for redundancy

Edited by FoulkeYouk, 16 June 2008 - 11:47 AM.

[absintheofmalaise]

You can also watch this on usopen.com. it has the commentary from the NBC guys. Very nice picture.

[Monbo Jumbo]

ouch - rocco

[absintheofmalaise]

Rocco is now officially fucked. That looked like one of my shots. I counted two cartpath hits on that last one.

Edited by absintheofmalaise, 16 June 2008 - 12:01 PM.

[absintheofmalaise]

Un-fucked.

[mascho]

Rocco is now officially fucked. That looked like one of my shots. I counted to cartpath hits on that last one.

I was just going to say, I haven't seen bounces like that off a cart path since my endeavors on the 13th hole yesterday....

[StayFairStayFair]

Even with Tiger's recent domination of the sport, this thing is going to swing back and forth throughout the front nine, or so it would appear.

A lot of discussion about sudden-death yesterday vs 18 hole playoff today and which provides more drama. I prefer a marathon over a sprint.

[Over Guapo Grande]

My boss just came over, grabbed my laptop, and hooked it up to the projector. Sometimes I love this job...

[Comfortably Lomb]

Tiger looks like he's getting into a groove. Rocco doesn't look as sharp as he did over the weekend. Lotta holes left though.

[Guinevere]

Ruh roh, Tiger just shifted into overdrive.

This could be a *long* afternoon for Rocco.

Also, MLB should take a page from USGA. I'm watching on usga.com, commercial free!

[RingoOSU]

Also, MLB should take a page from USGA. I'm watching on usga.com, commercial free!

Or they could continue to rake in 20 bucks a month from people for mlb.tv...

[Remagellan]

Tiger by 2 heading into the back nine.

Rocco is leaking oil.

[The Napkin]

ouch, tough 3 putt on 9 for Rocco after it looked like he might actually gain a stroke.

[Monbo Jumbo]

I'm calling this over - Mediate had a chance to get one back on nine, and instead loses another stroke. Down 2 at the turn, but more importantly, there's no evidence that Tiger's knee is a problem. Rocco hasn't made the putts he's needed to make.

[The Napkin]

the drives on 10 opens the door a little bit

[Remagellan]

Now it might be over.

[The Napkin]

now it's over

[absintheofmalaise]

Toast.

[Guinevere]

His (Rocco's) face looks completely different. He isn't having fun anymore.

Is it my feed, or was the commentary quieter and less intrusive on ESPN than on NBC?

[Comfortably Lomb]

Rocco's putter has finally caught up with him.

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

Rolfing said it very well. Rocco has his game face on today, and he doesn't play as well when he's not loose and relaxed.

[Comfortably Lomb]

Rocco's putter has finally caught up with him.

Of course if he can drain this mid-ranger he'll likely only be back one.

[LateRally]

You can also watch this on usopen.com. it has the commentary from the NBC guys. Very nice picture.

Anyone else not getting this to work? It asked me to install the latest Flash player, which I did, but video still won't load

[The Napkin]

"I'm not dead yet!" /Rocco

[RedOctober3829]

Rocco with a birdie putt and Tiger short on 12. Could be a 2 shot swing here.

[The Napkin]

you know what? I'm really tired of Tiger throwing clubs around. He did it twice on 18 yesterday and just did it after the bunker shot.

[RingoOSU]

You want Manny to go slap him?

[RedOctober3829]

Tiger: 4-12 in GIR. WOW

[RedOctober3829]

Tiger bogeys 12 and Rocco pars.

Woods +2
Mediate +3

[Blessyouboys84]

All square.

[The Napkin]

well now

[SoxFanInCali]

The amazing thing is, they've recorded the same score on only 3 of the 14 holes.

It's a 4 hole playoff now.

[Comfortably Lomb]

you know what? I'm really tired of Tiger throwing clubs around. He did it twice on 18 yesterday and just did it after the bunker shot.

Next you're going to complain that he's a baby step away from KG territory in terms of running his mouth after a mistake. Surprise, he's a perfectionist with a temper!

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

And that was a bad looking push by Tiger.