Tiger's drive hugged the fairway line; Rocco's fell short and landed in the bunker. Death looks sudden for Rocco. He needed a miracle. It didn't happen. Rocco instead booted his bunker shot against the cart path and slowly slipped one foot into the body bag.

If anything, this match-up has secured the U.S. Open as the most watchable and exciting tournament in golf. It won't be like this every year. Actually, it'll probably never be this good again.

Years from now, this U.S. Open will probably be best remembered for Tiger's heroics — the eagles, the histrionics, the ridiculous chip-in, and the pressure-packed putt he sank to force a playoff. Rocco Mediate will most likely be forgotten after this year.

For Tiger, this is his 14th major. Whoopity shit. .

Live coverage U.S. Open [Golf.com]
Hole-by-hole [Yahoo!]

In an interview before the final round, Rocco told NBC Sports that he would probably "just quit" if he won the U.S. Open. It's his favorite championship, but one that hasn't been too kind to him in the past. In fact, no majors have been kind to Rocco. And Tiger, who was supposedly unbeatable when he had the lead after three rounds, kept leaving plenty of opportunities for Mediate to have hope.

Rocco was the 158th ranked golfer in the world coming into Torrey Pines on Thursday. With a victory today, he would hold the record as the lowest ranked professional ever to be a U.S. Open champion.

Going into the 18th hole, it was a win-win situation for any sports fan. With Tiger down by one, you could witness another comeback, another testament to his dominance, and all of those crazy eagle putts on Saturday and the huge 12-footer yesterday have more significance. But if Rocco wins, you witness one of the greatest upsets in professional golf history.

Going to sudden death...

Hole-by-hole [Yahoo!]
Live Coverage [Golf.com]
Woods And Mediate Battle For U.S. Open [NY Times]

On 15, Rocco turned up the pressure hitting a third birdie putt in a row that pretty much turned everyone in the gallery on his side. Tiger boots his birdie putt.

After 15 holes, Rocco Mediate has a one stroke lead on Tiger Woods.

Dan Hicks stokes the melodrama:

"It's Rocco's championship at the moment....the atmosphere here is absolutely electric..."

Last three holes are going to be nuts.

Live blog [Yahoo]

Rocco's disposition has changed; he's no longer the smiling, wise-cracking everyman, now he's just a man laboring through the final round waiting for a merciful death. Or is he? Tiger's second shot on 12 resulted in his first audible "Goddammit!" of the day and a disgusted club toss. Rocco saves par.

Rocco is one shot down after 12.

Here's Rocco during happier, less pressure-filled times at last year's World Series Of Poker.

US Open Liveblog [Yahoo!]
Live blog, Old School [OobGolf]

Broadcast switch. ESPN retires its coverage for the day and turns it over to Bob Costas at NBC who sounds very, very serious, saying that "Rocco Mediate's Cinderella story is in jeopardy." He's speaking in hushed tones, like he's in a confessional or explaining death to a small child. He has not called Sean Salisbury a "fetus-faced douche." Yet.

But, seriously, was there any warning about this switch-over? I've been watching Scott Van Pelt ejaculate all over himself talking about the highlights for the last five minutes before they told me it switched over.

Anyway, Rocco's down by two going into the turn. It doesn't appear to look good for the man with the Rorschach Test hairline.

U.S. Open Blog [Yahoo]

Rocco has yet to change his "just happy to be here playing with the best", type of attitude. Tiger, on the other hand, seems ready to say, "Would somebody please shut the little Italian man up?"

Golf.com, trying to live blog this event, clearly underestimated how much their server could handle and has subsequently crashed

And, hey, MJD's jumped into the U.S. Open Live Blog at Yahoo!

After six, Woods takes a one stroke lead.

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