Woods a cut above the rest

Tiger Woods goes into a play-off with compatriot Rocco Mediate for the US Open title later today, seeking his 14th Major victory of his career. But it was nearly a case of what could have been for Rocco Mediate.

Woods had the second worst score in the Top 10 (2 over, along with Camilo Villegas and Lee Westwood). Only Geoff Ogilvy finished worse off, one shot further back.

Woods, who has never lost a major title when leading going into the fourth round, clearly struggled with his left knee throughout Saturday and Sunday. The physios will have been busy overnight to ensure the World No.1 is in tip-top shape for another cut at the testing Torrey Pines course. But that final 12 foot putt will be the only shot broadcast to tell the story of the final round. Never bet against Tiger when it comes to the crunch.

And yet even with Woods visibly handicapped by his knee injury he managed to out-last any of his nearest ‘rivals’. Ogilvy was the only other Top 10 World-ranked player to finish in Top 10.

It seems that the World No.1 will need to be further handicapped in order for the rest of the world’s top golfers to lose their inferiority complex and try competing against Woods.

While Woods has not won every major going, it is symptomatic of the other ‘Top’ golfers that only Phil Mickelson, Vijah Singh and Retief Goosen have increased their Majors tally above one in recent years. Singh (3rd) and Goosen (2nd) last managed that as long ago as 2004 and have not been able to add any more since. While South African Ernie Els has not added to his Major tally of three since 2002.

So Mediate now has an opportunity to break the record that last-round lead record Woods has maintained throughout his career. And no better time to do so either. A fifth day will test all the mental and physical resolve of the World No.1. But one-on-one it is hard to see past Woods. Even with only one and a half functioning legs!