U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 16, 2008

Rocco Mediate

Q. That was just tremendous golf out there.

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, my God.

Q. The putt on 15?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, my God, that was ridiculous. Yeah, I've never had more fun I've never -- it's just amazing. He's hard to beat. I threw everything I had, the kitchen sink, everything right at him. I was three down through 10. It could have been over pretty quick and he hit that ball in the bunker, not that I felt he was going like bogey but it's not the easiest shot and I hit a good shot and all of a sudden bang, bang, bang, I pick up three, four shots and in a few holes and I'm one up.

Q. Your dream was to come over here, obviously you were maybe not thinking of this scenario but to play with him in the final round?

ROCCO MEDIATE: I told him, I said I wanted to have before I got done with my career, which is hopefully another five years out here on this TOUR, I wanted to go up against you one time, one last time and in something big. But I want to do it again now. So I got my wish and I want to do it again.

So he's remarkable. We had a great time and it's just -- I like the way I handled it one up with three to play. I hit pretty good shots. I caught a hanger on 17, on that lie, it was a crappy lie so I didn't even mess with the flag.

Then 18, the only way I could reach it is if I hit a low nasty hook and I did and I just hooked it too much, otherwise I can't reach it. So anyway I laid up and had a putt at it.

Q. The final hole?

ROCCO MEDIATE: I had a putt at it. That's all you can ask. He made a four and a half-footer to stay, I would have not -- I almost had two putts at it but you knew he was going to make that.

Q. You said the other day that you were a fan of his?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Absolutely.

Q. Have you thought that way ever more than now?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, no, he's just -- no. It's just a pleasure, it was an honor being out there. And I'm sure that I scared him. I did good today.

Q. People who didn't know you at the start of the week in San Diego and what it was like out there today? Talk about that.

ROCCO MEDIATE: It was unbelievable for both of us. It was just -- I can't believe how many people showed up today. I didn't think there would be that many people. But it was like yesterday. It was amazing.

Q. ^ everybody at Latrobe, how are you feeling right now?

ROCCO MEDIATE: I haven't talked to anybody out there. I don't even know if they're watching. I haven't talked to anybody in awhile. He was out here earlier.

Q. It seems that everybody as the years go on has their own Tiger story.

ROCCO MEDIATE: They don't have this one. I almost, I just about got him. But I had trouble with that 7th hole tee shot all week and I hooked it again in that bunker and I caught it in a horrible place. So obviously it wasn't a very good shot, but what are you going to do?

Q. Is this what you're going to be telling your grand kids about and they're going to be telling their kids?

ROCCO MEDIATE: I want to tell them the story, the next one that I won that one. I'll tell them about this though. No one expected me -- it's like a prize fight, no one even expected me to be that long or survive and he had to birdie the last again to tie me. Again. And he did it. It's amazing.

Q. (Inaudible.)

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, sure, I was pretty -- I had the putt on 17 to stay one up and it was a good three and a half feet down that hill. And then the one on 18 to stay in the tournament. I almost lost the golf tournament on the last hole with a, you know, short, you know, I had to the 3-footer, three and a half-footer straight down hill on poa annua, you never know.

Q. What about that putt on 15?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Oh, my God. Well, I just tried to let it roll down there. I had a good spot where I picked it and I rolled it right over the spot just inside his coin, actually, and that's just -- he does that all the time, though, so I get to do that this time and it went in.

Q. What was your belt buckle choice today?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Just the peace sign. I was cold all day though.

Q. I know you said that you want to do this again now that you got this close. But if you never got this close again, would you regret, lament or --

ROCCO MEDIATE: No no, I can't give any more. I really can't. I hit a bad tee shot in the playoff hole, but the 18 hole, I can't give much more. I was down, I missed a bunch of putts. Early. And you know, I really can't say I went out a -- I got my butt kicked today, but it wasn't that, it was a good match, it was a really good match.

Q. Did you learn something about yourself this week?

ROCCO MEDIATE: Yeah, that I can handle this heat. I've won golf tournaments, but not this stuff. I can handle this heat. And especially against him with everybody in the world all looking in and everything everyone is expecting me to get my ass handed to me and I didn't. And I almost got it done. I almost got it done.