Who is Rocco Mediate?

Tiger Woods won his 14th major in dramatic style. He had to come from behind on Sunday, last day of the US Open to move into a tie with Rocco Mediate, sending the match into a 18-hole playoff on Monday. And after 18 holes, they still had to play a sudden death hole…which he ended up winning.

So…who is Rocco Mediate?

He was born on December 17, 1962 in Greensburh, Pennsylvania, and is the son of a barber. He attended Florida Southern College and turned professional in 1985.

Rocco’s had back trouble for most of his career. To compensate for this, he used a long putter. In 1991, he became the first player to win on the PGA Tour using a long putter, when he won the Doral-Ryder Open. He picked up another victory at the 1993 KMart Greater Greensboro Open.

After that, however, he ruptured a disk and didn’t play until 1996, when he played under a special medical extension. He picked up wins on the Tour in 1999 (despite undergoing major back surgery during that year), 2000 and 2002.

Rocco has been featured in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings, and experts consider him to be one of the best putters in golf.

At the 2006 Masters, Rocco was in contention to win the event on the final day until he took a septuple-bogey ten on the par three 12th hole.

Second place at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines this last weekend was the best finish of the 45-year-old golfer’s career.