Tiger Woods wins dramatic U.S. Open

Sports

Tiger Woods wins dramatic U.S. Open

Photos from the playoff round of the U.S. Open between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate

Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate both went with the red-and-black look for their playoff round at the U.S. Open in San Diego. The pair had finished 72 holes tied at 283, thus resulting in the 18-hole playoff Monday.

Woods seemingly spent as much time in the sand as on the grass Monday. Here he hits from a trap at No. 3.

Mediate found the going rough at No. 5, where he was well out of bounds after his second shot.

Despite his shaky start on No. 5, Mediate had a chance to birdie the par-4 hole. But he two-putted for a bogey, which dropped him into a tie with Woods at that point.

Mediate ponders his problems on the ninth hole, where he missed a putt for par.

Woods made the turn with a one stroke lead, but he struggled early on the back nine. Here he shows his displeasure at his third shot on the 10th hole. He ended up making a par.

Woods puts everything behind his drive on No. 12.

Shot of the day: Woods saved his chances with a spectacular shot on No. 15. A horrible drive put him into a bunker on the adjacent ninth fairway. But Woods unleashed a monster shot out of the sand that reached the green and came within 10 feet of the pin. He parred the hole, which proved crucial by the end of the round.

Woods drops his putter after failing to sink a birdie putt on No. 16. He sank the par putt, but trailed Mediate by a shot heading into the final two holes.

Mediate, holding a one-shot lead, approaches No. 18 and acknowledges the crowd's cheers. He parred the hole, which wasn't enough to hold off Woods.

Woods responds to the gallery after sinking his birdie putt on No. 18. For the second consecutive day, Woods forced a playoff by birdieing the final hole. This time, he and Mediate would play in the sudden-death format.

Woods came close to finishing it in spectacular fashion, but his birdie putt came up just short on the first hole of sudden death. Woods won his 14th major with a par putt.

End game: Mediate walks away as Woods celebrates with caddie Steve Williams after clinching the victory on the first hole of sudden death.

It took him 91 holes over five days, but Woods finally vanquished the 45-year-old Mediate.

I got you baby: The 2008 U.S. Open champion holds daughter Sam while awaiting the start of the awards ceremony.

Woods hoists the U.S. Open trophy for the third time. Woods and Jack Nicklaus are the only players to have won each of golf's four major tournaments three times.

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Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate both went with the red-and-black look for their playoff round at the U.S. Open in San Diego. The pair had finished 72 holes tied at 283, thus resulting in the 18-hole playoff Monday.

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