No one knew what would happen. Not even Tiger.
Didn't stop him from turning it into perhaps his finest hour. If you've been paying attention, you understand that is some statement.
"It's either this, or my first [major, the 1997 Masters]," said Tiger, who now has 14 to choose from. "This week had a lot of doubt to it, to be honest."
Maybe it wasn't Ben Hogan at Merion in 1950. Tiger wasn't coming back from a near-fatal car wreck. But he hadn't played since having arthroscopic surgery 2 months ago. Hadn't even walked 18 holes before Thursday.
He made four double-bogeys to go with three eagles. Wincing and limping almost every step of the way.
In each of his last three rounds, he came to the par-5 18th hole trailing by one. On Saturday he shot a 3, to take the lead into the closing 18 holes, a position from which he's never lost a major. Sunday, he made a 12-foot birdie putt to tie Rocco Mediate and force an 18-hole playoff. And yesterday, he holed a 4-footer for birdie after again reaching the green in two, to extend things into sudden death with an even-par 71.
It ended on the 91st hole, which was at least 19 more than Tiger's knee really needed. With a par. When Mediate couldn't convert a 20-footer for his 4, missing a tad to the right, Tiger was 15-2 in playoffs and it was his trophy. Again.
But this was different.
"I knew I could walk, it was just going to be a little bit on the slow side," said Tiger, who led yesterday by three strokes after 10 holes, but headed off 15 one down. "I was just trying to get through the week. Everyone plays with injuries, whatever it is. Roc's done it pretty much his whole career, with his bad back.
"You suck it up and get it done."
Think Willis Reed at Madison Square Garden. Or Kirk Gibson at Dodger Stadium. Even Michael Jordan with the flu. Only Tiger had to do it 5 straight days.
He's now won four of the last eight majors. To go with three seconds.
