Longtime Callaway Golf Staffer in 18-hole playoff
Callaway Golf Staff Professional Rocco Mediate played brilliantly in the biggest round of golf of his life on Sunday—the final round of the 108th U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. The 45-year-old Pennsylvania native, who started the day two shots back of the leader, carded an even-par 71 to finish tied atop the leaderboard after 72 holes. He will meet Tiger Woods in an 18-hole playoff on Monday in San Diego.
“I had a blast. It was hard. I kept trying to do what I was doing,” Mediate said. “I hit a lot of good shots. Made a lot of putts today for me, when I needed them, big ones, to keep the momentum going. And missed a couple, but I made a few. It was a blast. I've never had more fun and more insanity. It's just amazing.”
Using the FT-5 Driver, an FT-i Squareway 3-wood, a 2H X Hybrid, X-20 Irons, the X-Forged Wedges, the Tour ix Golf Ball and the Odyssey White Hot XG Sabertooth Putter, the easygoing Mediate shot 69-71-72-71 to finish the tournament at 1-under-par. On Sunday he made three birdies and three bogeys playing in the second-to-last group.
“It’s all about fairways and greens in this joint,” Mediate said of the lengthy Torrey Pines track. “And that's what (Woods) is going to try to do and that's what I'm going to try to do. And that's who's going to win the battle (Monday), you can believe that. That's what we have to do. I don't really know if you could call it match play, because it isn't. It's a stroke play deal, and it's going to be a blast.”
At the end of his press conference on Sunday evening, Mediate was asked how badly he wanted to win the playoff on Monday. “Fairly,” he jokingly replied. “Fairly. It would be the story of my life, I can tell you that.”
The 18-hole playoff will begin at noon eastern time on Monday.
Fellow Callaway Golf Staff Professional Ernie Els finished in a tie for 14th at 2-over-par for the tournament. Else shot 70-72-74-73. Like Mediate, Els used the FT-5 Driver, along with a Tour 15° X Fairway Wood, an X 5-wood, X Prototype Irons, X-Forged Wedges, the Tour i Golf Ball and an Odyssey White Hot XG #5 Putter. He also wore Callaway Golf Footwear.
Callaway Golf Staff Professional Phil Mickelson closed with a flourish on Sunday, carding a 3-under-par 68 to finish tied for 18th. Lefty shot 71-75-76 in the first three rounds.
“As I look back I am so proud to be from San Diego and to have this Open championship here at Torrey Pines,” Mickelson said. “And the golf course was, again, I think the best, fairest setup it's ever been. The mixture of tee boxes, the pin placements were all perfect to give the best players a chance to separate themselves. I'm disappointed I didn't play well, but I'm not disappointed the way this championship is shaping into form and the way that San Diego has been presented. This has been awesome.”
For Mediate, it could get even better by Monday afternoon. |