On Bum Knee, Woods win US Open

The bear hug was more survival than celebration, a spent embrace between Tiger Woods and his caddy 91 holes deep into this forever U.S. Open. Rocco Mediate’s final putt had failed to fall on the playoff round’s first extra playoff hole and finally this 14th major was Tiger’s to embrace with a grip perhaps tighter and more appreciative than any other.

It wasn’t just outlasting Rocco here with the midday California sun beating down, it wasn’t even Woods’ second consecutive 18th hole-overtime-forcing birdie, it wasn’t even winning a mental and physical test of wills – 358 strokes to 359.

If it was just that, then maybe Woods wouldn’t have been calling this his greatest major championship.

“I think this is the best,” he said. “This week had a lot of doubt to it, to be honest with you.”

This was about Woods simply not allowing himself to lose, perhaps because of how much he knows this one might wind up meaning. It wasn’t just how difficult it was, it was the fear that this is how difficult it may be from here on out.