Good morning, and welcome to pro golf's version of the Iditarod.
You know, the dog sled race "over 1,150 miles of the most extreme and beautiful terrain known to man: Across mountain ranges, frozen rivers, dense forests, desolate tundra and windswept coastline." The description even sounds like Torrey Pines, just substitute "7,650 yards" for "1,150 miles," "frozen daiquiris" for "frozen rivers" and "endless freeways" for "desolate tundra."
In case you hadn't heard, there will be a fifth round of the U.S. Open commencing at noon Eastern Time Monday. The contestants will be Rocco Mediate, a.k.a. The People's Champion™, and Tiger Woods, a.k.a. The One-Legged Wonder.
(Had the wounded Woods been a sled dog, he would have been euthanized on Thursday night, a scenario that Mediate was no doubt wishing for when Tiger, not unexpectedly, sank a 12-foot birdie putt Sunday to force the playoff.)
Monday's farce marks the 33rd time the USGA boffins have subjected at least two competitors to another trek around the Open layout, refusing to realize that the 18-hole playoff format that never made any real sense is now hopelessly archaic and anti-climactic.
The Masters has opted for sudden-death, the British uses a four-hole total score format, and the PGA Championship three holes. Personally, I like the last idea, but using one par-3, one par-4 and one par-5. But no one asked me. (Heck, if I waited until someone asked for my opinion, I'd be out of a job.)
Tiger is 10-1 in playoffs, including two for majors (the 2000 PGA over Bob May and the '05 Masters over Chris DiMarco). Mediate is 2-0 (the Ferret Ridge Links club championship and the Coors Light Pro-Am. Just kidding…I think.)
The fact that this excruciating playoff unnecessarily complicates the lives of all concerned, from players to fans and media, is a given. But what really puts the stink on its flatulence is that the Monday round usually results in mediocre and sometimes downright embarrassing golf, a fact that continues to escape the USGA.
The 108th running of the U.S. Open Presented by Iditarod will never be mentioned in the same breath as some of the great ones, like Arnie's win in 1960 at Cherry Hills, or Johnny Miller's triumph at Oakmont in '73, or Payne Stewart's victory at Pinehurst in 1999.
It will be recalled as one of the most entertaining and as one of the fairest course setups, however. (Kudos to Mike Davis, the USGA's director of rules and competitions.)
Too bad the bloom was taken off those roses by today's playoff. Time to change the rule, USGA.
Mush!