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Mediate, ranked 157th in the world, could have secured his first major championship title and fifth PGA Tour victory had he birdied the 18th hole, the easiest on the course. But he hit his approach shot 35 feet past the pin and didn't play enough break on his birdie putt. Still, he remained optimistic.
"It's going to be unbelievable; I can't believe I'm even in this situation at all," Mediate said of the upcoming playoff. "It's great.
"This week has been a total dream," he continued. "Heck, I missed eight of the first 10 cuts I played this year on Tour. Come on. Come on. Seriously. So I get to come back [to the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black] next year, I get to go back to Augusta next year. I get to do all kinds of things."
When Mediate bogeyed the par-4 fifth hole to drop into a tie for the lead with Westwood at 1-under, 11 players were within four shots of the lead, but none could mount a charge.
Geoff Ogilvy, who won the 2006 U.S. Open, looked as if he was sneaking up on Open title number two when he birdied the fifth and seventh holes to get to 1-under for the day, even par for the tournament and a shot off the lead. But he bogeyed the par-5 ninth hole, a loss of almost two shots to the field, and the par-4 10th to fall back.
Ernie Els, a two-time U.S. Open champion who has not won a major since the 2002 British Open, lurked at 2-over-par for much of the day, within striking distance. Then he got caught up in the right rough on the 15th hole, made a 7 and was done.
Despite his terrible start, Woods never let himself get too far back. He was the heavy favorite this week, even with his well-chronicled injury. He won the 2003 Buick Invitational three months after surgery on his left knee, shooting 70-66-68-68. This time Woods came to Torrey Pines just two months after surgery, and has been in considerably more pain than he's shown at any time in his career. This was thought to be a familiar enough scenario, and setting, but it's getting less so by the day.
To better his effort of five years ago, on a tougher course and with higher stakes, against an opponent who refuses to go away, Woods will have to tough it out one more day.
"I'm sure we'll talk a little bit," he said. "Roc is — he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He's been a friend of mine ever since I've been out here on Tour. We'll talk. But we'll also understand we're trying to win a U.S. Open. And we'll have our moments where we'll go out separate ways and be focused for each and every shot."
