When talking about memorable U.S. Opens, one has to mention the 2008 match between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. Despite struggling with two stress fractures in his tibia and a knee issue that required arthroscopic surgery, Woods demonstrated remarkable resilience to win the tournament. The final round was intense, with Woods facing setbacks early on, including a double bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the second, allowing Mediate to take the lead.
However, Woods rallied with birdies on the 9th and 11th holes, only to fall behind again after bogeys at 13 and 15. Woods forced a playoff with a remarkable 12-foot birdie putt on 18, using a 60-degree wedge from the rough. Woods won the playoff on the first extra hole, but as it turns out, losing the tournament may not have been what Mediate wanted, but it was exactly what he needed.
Per the latest Instagram post by SiriusXM PGA Tour, Rocco Mediate and Alice Cooper, some 17 years later, the duo takes a look back at the epic duel between Rocco and Tiger Woods in the 2008 US Open. Rocco Mediate reflects on losing to Tiger, saying, “If I win that Open, okay, it’s worth umpteen million dollars to me… Would I have been able to handle it? I like to think I would have, but I can’t make any guarantees.” He candidly shares his past struggles, admitting, “So I was drinking, not as much as I did years later, but with all the pain stuff… Then, anyway, long story short, I was kind of a loose cannon.”
Well, the alcohol was one problem that Mediate struggled with, and “struggled” is an understatement. For years, he hid vodka in his golf bag’s water bottle, making it a daily ritual. Mediate said, “Every single day, I had something. I couldn’t tell you when I didn’t over the years and years and years… I’d have a drink, maybe more than one. A lot more than one.” The drinking started in the mid-90s due to debilitating back pain, but Mediate emphasized, “It doesn’t give a s— who you are, what you’ve done. It will tear your lungs out and laugh when you’re dying. Alcohol is evil when you overdo it.”
Mediate’s introspection reveals a deeper appreciation for his life’s journey. He ponders the potential consequences of winning, stating, “So my point is, would I have a nine-year-old? No. Would I have Jessica? No chance.” This reflection highlights Mediate’s gratitude for the life he has built, and he concludes, “Now, obviously, at the time, you’re not thinking that. But you look back over those years, I don’t know if I’d have made it.”
Mediate’s decision to quit was largely influenced by his wife, Jessica, and their daughter, Francesca. He said, “How dare me make my daughter deal with my weakness in her life… Her growing up with an alcoholic father (wouldn’t be) fair. If I have the power to stop it, which I do, then I need to stop.”
Mediate quit drinking on October 23, 2017, and has since seen improvements in his health and his attitude towards the sport, as even after losing the game to Woods 17 years ago…
Rocco Mediate says the 2008 U.S. Open was the ‘most fun’ he ever had playing golf
After losing to Woods, Mediate was not the same, but the memory of that 2008 U.S. Open still lingers. Rocco Mediate recalls the epic battle against Tiger Woods, saying, “That was the most fun I’ve ever had playing golf. For sure. Bar none.” However, Mediate’s nostalgia is bittersweet, as he wishes he could relive the experience in the same format – an 18-hole playoff. Speaking of which, Mediate has strong opinions about the USGA’s decision to switch to a two-hole aggregate format.
Mediate is vocal about his disdain for the new format, stating, “Every major should be an 18-hole playoff. And if you tie, it should be 18 more. It’s a major. It’s not a normal event.” When asked if he’s serious, Mediate responds with conviction: “100 percent serious… ‘Oh, but TV. ‘ I don’t care about TV. I want the trophy.” He even questions the Masters’ sudden death format, saying, “Sudden death at Augusta National? What? The Masters, we’re just going to have one hole? TV? Not concerned.”
