Rocco Mediate, who still gets asked about 2008 U.S. Open, says 'every major should be an 18-hole playoff'

PHOENIX — The over-under connected nan number of questions that Rocco Mediate gets asked successful immoderate media scrum earlier nan 2008 U.S. Open comes up is astir apt four.

Yes, 16 years later and nan showdown against Tiger Woods remains a taxable of conversation. Good point Mediate still likes to entertain nan subject.

At Phoenix Country Club during a media time connected Monday to preview nan 2024 Charles Schwab Cup Championship, Mediate, 61, was asked if that Open acquisition is arsenic memorable arsenic his 12 wins (six connected PGA Tour, six connected PGA Tour Champions). He didn’t hesitate.

“Oh, gosh yea. It is,” he said earlier adding, “the astir memorable triumph was nan Fry’s 2 years after. If nan Open was nan past thing, OK, it was awesome.

“But I won again aft that and that really made maine happy, you know, that I won different tournament, which was cool. But no, nan Open, I person nary … you cognize if I had three-putted from 3 feet to lose, it astir apt wouldn’t beryllium OK to talk astir it but that didn’t happen, so. When you suffer thing and get beat, you get beat. There’s thing other you tin really say. It was atrocious nosy trying.

“That was nan astir nosy I’ve ever had playing golf. For sure. Bar none. I wish I could do it again.”

Mediate and Woods ended up successful an 18-hole playoff that Sunday astatine Torrey Pines and moreover that wasn’t capable to determine things. Mediate yet succumed to Woods connected nan first playoff spread of abrupt death.

But arsenic soon arsenic Mediate said “I wish I could do it again,” he quickly mentioned really location are nary much 18-hole playoffs astatine nan U.S. Open. In 2018, nan USGA switched to a two-hole aggregate format, followed by abrupt death.

Mediate says that’s conscionable wrong.

“The 18 spread playoffs are over. Which is ridiculous. Every awesome should beryllium an 18-hole playoff. And if you tie, it should beryllium 18 more. It’s a major. It’s not a normal event.”

Are you superior astir that, he was asked?

“100 percent serious. 100 percent serious. ‘Oh but TV’. I don’t attraction astir TV. I want nan trophy,” he said. “Sudden decease astatine Augusta National? What? The Masters, we’re conscionable going to person 1 hole? TV? Not concerned.”

Mediate is 20th successful nan Schwab Cup standings, plentifulness bully capable to make nan 36-man section astatine nan 2024 play finale.