2127: Rocco's putt fails to drop and Tiger Woods is the US Open champion for the third time. His immediate reaction is one of relief. An astonishing performance given that he was below his best and clearly suffering with his knee and Mediate deserves enormous credit for playing such a huge part in what was a wonderful tournament. After 19: Woods Level, Mediate +1
2126: Tiger's ball is dead on line but just hasn't got enough legs. Woods drops to his knees before tapping in for par. Mediate now has a 20 footer to stay alive.
2125: Tiger now has a putt to win the US Open. It's uphill but he won't want to race it past.
2124: Mediate chips but his ball drifts around 20 feet past. Woods is closing in.
2122: Mediate gets a free drop about 45 yards back. He jokes about not wanting to look where it lands and his request to "be nice " is granted as the ball sits up. Maybe this isn't all over.
2121: Lovely second shot by Woods to the front edge of the green. He has an uphill putt for birdie from around 15 feet and a par could well be enough.
2119: Mediate tugs his shot way left just in front of the grandstand. He's in real trouble now.
2117: Mediate doesn't look to have a great lie in the sand. The ball will be below his feet and there's a little clump of sand just behind it.
2115: Woods birdied the seventh first time around while Mediate made par. Woods goes first and hits a beauty which just hangs on to the edge of the fairway. The pressure is on Mediate and he pulls his tee-shot left into a bunker. Advantage Tiger.
2110: James from Ireland writes: "Stuck in work - but great coverage. Question: What kind of reception is the gallery giving to Rocco? Or is it just one-way traffic for Tiger?" It seems mostly pro-Tiger in terms of volume as he's the local man but it's hard not to love Rocco too and they're warming to the underdog too.
2107: Well done Rocco! He holes his putt and we're off to the par four seventh for the first hole of sudden death. After 18: Woods Level, Mediate Level
2106: Never doubt him. Woods holes his putt for a birdie four. Mediate must now make his to keep the play-off going.
2105: Woods backs away from his putt as the shadow of a bird covers the hole. What tension.
2104: Remember, if both make their putts we go into sudden-death.
2102: Mediate tugs his putt left of the hole and he too faces a tricky one back. Hopefully both men will make their putts as it would be an awful way to lose.
2101: Tiger's eagle putt never threatens the hole and he faces a difficult five footer for birdie. But it could all be irrelevant as Mediate has a putt to win the US Open!
2100: Mediate applauds the crown as he marches up to the 18th green.
2059: George Watson writes: "I have Rocco at 18/1 from yesterday. Come on Rocco!"
2058: Mediate hits a solid pitch to about 15 feet. It's pin high and it's a putt he might fancy.
2056: Tiger's second lands on the green! It only just clears the water and it's not really within eagle range but two putts from there will give him a birdie and if he can make it then Mediate will have to get up and down from the fairway to win. This play-off could now go to sudden-death.
2055: Woods backs off his second shot as the wind picks up. A few jeers from the crowd.
2053: Mediate hits a good lay-up to the right-centre of the fairway. Over to Woods.
2052: Woods has 217 yards to the pin.
2050: "Tiger, Tiger, Tiger" comes the roar from the galleries as he marches down the 18th.
2049: Tiger must hit the fairway and he does! Just when he needed to hit a straight drive, he's found one. He'll definitely be going for the green in two.
2048: Mediate pulls his tee shot at 18 and finds the bunker. He won't be reaching the green in two so the door is slightly ajar for Woods.
2047: Mediate holes out for par! He leads the US Open by a shot with just one to play. After 17: Woods +1, Mediate Level
2046: Can Tiger pull another rabbit out of the hat? He can't. His birdie putt at 17 pulls up short and it's just a par. Mediate faces a four footer to preserve his one shot lead with a hole to play.
2045: Brian writes: "Hi Dave, For me it's a very nervewracking evening so far, since I'm trying to watch two football games between Germany and Austria and between Poland and Croatia from Euro2008 AND trying follow the golf TOO! :) And I can't find a live radio either, so you are all I've got."
2043: Mediate hits a good first putt although he faces a testy little one for par.
2041: Mark Hounsell writes: "Is everyone supporting Woods? Am I really the only person who fancied Mediate at 3/1!" You were certainly in the minority Mark but I feel there'll be another twist or two yet.
2040: Bernd Eversmann writes: "Hi Dave, I've been following your liveticker for the past days from Livingstone, Zambia. Great stuff! I cheer for Rocco Mediate. I just read a novel about the 1913 U.S. Open where Francis Ouimet as the underdog beat Francis Vardon. An excellent novel."
2039: Mediate hits a rather anxious one but it just manages to clear the greenside bunker and find the putting surface. It's a tough two-putt though.
2038: Tiger deliberates long and hard over his second to 17 and who can blame him? He finally pulls the trigger and hits a towering iron to about 18 feet away.
2037: David Lipschitz writes: "Sitting at the airport in Johannesburg, so very grateful for your commentary. Thank you. Gotta hope for the underdog to win - go Rocco!!"
2033: Mediate's drive at 17 finds the first cut but Tiger hits a beauty. What tension we have here.
2032: Roger McDonald writes: "We don't have it live in France ( 00.30 ) Canal+ So "Allez Le Underdog!"
2031: Alex Verget writes: "Are you kidding me! I don't believe what I'm reading. What is the body language like there, Dave? Come on Tiger, just one more time, show us what it means to be the best there ever was and ever will be."
2029: Woods' birdie putt is dead on line but pulls up a quarter of a turn short. He holds his head in disbelief. It's a par and Mediate remains one ahead. Time is running out for Tiger. After 16: Woods +1, Mediate Level
2027: Mediate putts from off the green and, for one second, it looks to be heading in. It stops just past the hole and that should be a safe par.
2024: Woods is between clubs. He takes a three iron at first but the wind drops and he switches back to a four. It dribbles onto the front of the green but he he'll have a shot at birdie.
2022: Mediate 's tee-shot at the 225-yard par three comes up short of the green. He may still be able to putt it but a par is no certainty.
2020: Tiger misses and he still has four feet back for par! Naturally, he knocks it in but he now trails by a shot with just three holes to play! After 15: Woods +1, Mediate Level
2019: The crowd quietens down and now it's the turn of Woods.
2017: Sensational! Mediate's breaking 20 footer drops into the middle of the hole and three successive birdies have given him a one-shot lead. His expression is priceless!
2013: Tiger shows his brilliance! His second from the bunker draws towards the green and lands about 10 feet from the hole. What a shot!
2012: Mediate hits a stunning shot to the heart of the green. He faces around 20 feet for birdie. Do we have a fairytale unfolding here?
2009: Woods' shot has actually found a bunker on the adjacent fairway.
2007: Woods smashes his shot way right and grimaces. He's so off target that he might actually find some short grass. Advantage Mediate.
2005: The 15th tee. Mediate is up first and his ball kicks out of the rough and back into the fairway. Tiger pulls driver.
2003: Tiger's putt lips out and, would you believe it, Mediate is level again. He looked dead and buried when three behind at the turn but with four holes left the US Open is up for grabs. After 14: Woods +1, Mediate +1
2001: Mediate doesn't waste any time and taps in for birdie. For the moment, they're tied together at one over.
2000: Only 6 out of 10 for Tiger's chip. He faces eight feet for par although he's below the hole. Rocco knocks his stone dead and it's a certain birdie.
1957: Woods doesn't quite catch his drive right and he too is short although Tiger is in the light rough. Mediate may even be able to putt his.
1956: The USGA have moved the tee up on the par four 14th for the second day running. Mediate goes for the green and comes up just short.
1953: Mediate holds his nerve at the crucial time and his seven footer for birdie drops. Tiger taps in for his own four and it remains a one-shot lead. After 13: Woods +1, Mediate +2
1951: Woods hits an excellent putt which just comes up short. It's a certain birdie although he marks his ball and hands the stage to Mediate.
1949: Mediate hits a decent bunker shot to about seven feet although he hasn't been holing from that distance.
1946: Woods has 223 to the hole and his lie is decent. He pulls out five iron and hits a monster into the heart of the green. It rolls towards the back but he'll be putting for eagle even though he's some 35 feet away.
1945: Mediate hits a cracking second to the par five but it just doesn't have the legs and drops back into the greenside bunker.
1942: James Holloway from South Wales writes: "What an achievement it would be if Tiger won, he is showing true grit and belief in himself. i hope he wins." It looked a certainty a while ago James but suddenly it looks interesting again.
1941: Nate Callus writes: "Do you know if there is any television coverage in the UK." Yes, Nate. Tune into Sky Sports 3.
1940: Now for the par five. Mediate has the honour and his drive just clings on to the edge of the fairway. Tiger's goes left and finds the rough although the ball seems to be sitting up.
1937: Tiger rolls in another knee-wobbler but it's only for bogey and he drops to +2. Mediate makes his and suddenly the gap is just one shot. Game on again. After 12: Woods +2, Mediate +3
1936: Woods also hits a mediocre putt so it's a bogey at best.
1933: It is just Rocco to putt first. Can he put pressure on Tiger with a birdie. He can't and, in fact, he faces a tricky four footer back for par. Over to Tiger. Can he save par from 15 feet?
1932: Bigwally writes: "It is basically over now. But as you suggested I am heading home (early) to try to catch the last 3 holes on the tube at home." Well, maybe it isn't over as Tiger's pitch grabs and he's 15 feet short of the hole. It may still be his turn.
1930: Matt Cooper writes: "How good is Tiger's putting (even if he has just missed one)? Unbelievable. Relentless."
1928: Fantastic approach by Mediate sets himself for an unlikely birdie at one of the most difficult holes on the course. Tiger hits his bunker shot heavy and it comes up short of the green and, perhaps significantly, into the deepish rough. Two-shot swing?
1927: Paul Taylor returns to write: "Hey Dave, another question from Philadelphia in the U.S. What's the interaction like between Tiger and Rocco? Has it changed as the match has gone along?" Basically there isn't much Paul. Tiger has his game face on so it's not the time or the place for banter.
1925: Mediate finds the fairway at the long par four 12th but Woods overcuts his drive and it finds the bunker. Maybe this isn't over just yet.
1923: Woods' magic putter doesn't produce the goods this time and it's a third straight bogey at a par three. Mediate is now within two again. After 11: Woods +1, Mediate +3
1922: Mediate's putt curls towards the hole but never threatens to go in and he has to make do with a par.
1920: Tiger's bunker play is just not there today. He hits this too hard and he faces 15 feet for par. Can his putter save him again?
1918: Woods has a good lie in the bunker this time so no excuses. You'd back him to get up and down here.
1916: Mediate hits a good one but it takes a big hop forward and he faces a very tricky downhill birdie putt from about 20 feet which will break hard.
1915: Woods has bogeyed both par threes so far after finding sand off the tee. And at the 11th his tee-shot finds a greenside bunker yet again!
1913: Mediate can't respond and suddenly the gap is three shots when it looked all set to be one. Tiger is starting to pull away and the difference is his putter. After 10: Woods Level, Mediate +3
1912: Woods hits his 18 foot putt from just off the green and nails it! What a man! That's 10 holes played and just 12 putts!
1910: Mediate fluffs his chip, committing the cardinal sin of lifting his head. This should have been a routine up and down but he now faces nine feet for par.
1909: Woods hits a good pitch but it grips and spins back just off the green. A bogey beckons.
1907: Mediate shows a rare a moment of frustration as his approach comes up short of the green. He shouldn't have any trouble making his par as the flag is close to the front edge but birdie seems unlikely now.
1906: Woods can only hack out of the rough and he'll have to get up and down from 100 or so yards to make his par. A great chance for Mediate to hit back and cut the deficit.
1904: Woods shows his disappointment as his tee shot at 10 leaks right and finds the deep rough. Mediate, who needs something spectacular to turn this around now, finds the fairway.
1901: A big moment as Mediate pushes his par putt right and it's an ugly bogey six. Woods leads by two with nine to play. After 9: Woods Level, Mediate +2
1859: Woods, yet again, makes light work of a potentially tricky putt. It's a five and he's out in level par 35.
1858: Mediate's downhill birdie putt breaks left near the end but not enough and he'll have three feet back for par.
1856: Woods chips out but it squirts a little right and he has five feet left for par.
1853: Mediate has 108 yards to the hole for his third. It's on line but lands 20 feet past. But Woods makes a big error and fails to reach the green with his bunker shot, his ball sitting down in the rough.
1850: Mediate has 315 yards to the flag so has to lay up. He makes an error though and fails to keep his second on the fairway. Woods, 30 yards further down the fairway, has 285 left. He makes good connection but finds one of the bunkers short and left of the green.
1845: Mediate finds the fairway at the long par five ninth. Tiger goes for a big 'un and grimaces as he unleashes his drive. The good news is that he too finds the fairway.
1844: Bigwally has come back on and writes: "Please let Tony (see 1822) know the issue can be solved by adding two words to the tickets. "No Alcohol" This year USGA banned smoking so why not ban the Budweiser, but sniper was a good suggestion." Steady on chaps!
1842: Mediate keeps his nerve and strokes home his par putt. He gives a little 'Whoo-hoo" as he walks off the green, now just one behind. After 8: Woods Level, Mediate +1
1841: Woods gives his downhill putt his full attention and rolls it smoothly into the hole. It's a dropped shot though.
1840: Woods also puts too much on his chip. This could be a two-shot swing or maybe both will make bogeys. A real match-play moment.
1839: Mediate's chip is a tad heavy but he still only has five feet for par.
1838: Tiger's bunker shot races off the other side of the green and his ball is down near Mediate's although, of course, in one shot more.
1837: Woods has a plugged lie in the bunker, just as he did at the third when he made bogey. Mediate has a pitch mark just behind his ball.
1836: Jay Dorrington writes: "Sitting in my room with parents downstairs not watching the golf! What's wrong with them. Hope Woods wins! He seems to be playing solid golf now from what i've read, and cheers for keeping us all up to date. One last thing...Hi Mum =D."
1834: An error from Tiger as his tee-shot at the par three eighth finds the back bunker. A strange response from Mediate as his effort comes up way short. A misclub or a mishit? Rocco has much the easier shot though and has a chance to pull a shot back.
1830: Alex Varget writes: "I'm in Jordan now and can't watch. We've got sunny skies for the next 50 years here but how's the weather holding up for Tiger? Any large wind gusts coming off the ocean, what about the afternoon forecast?" The weather looks perfect Alex. My pupils dilated a little when you said you were in Jordan. I thought "lucky chap, although what will Peter say?" Hopefully that joke works for an international audience.
1831: Tiger sinks his birdie putt with another brilliant stroke. He's two shots clear. After 7: Woods -1, Mediate +1
1830: Mediate hits a great putt from 25 feet. It's tracking towards the hole but pulls up just short. It's a tap-in for par.
1828: R. Bowden writes: "Hi Dave, great coverage. Given Tiger always has an eye on Jack Nicklaus' record, how many of his 18 Majors did he win by play-off?" Three - the 1962 US Open, the 1966 US Masters and, most famously, the 1970 Open at St Andrews when he beat Doug Sanders.
1827: Mediate finds the front of the seventh green but Woods attacks the pin again and leaves himself another eight to 10 footer for birdie. Tiger looks really dialled in now.
1822: Tony Holmes, who's still in work, has something to get off his chest: "I hope Rocco wins, come on the little guy! But what a shame Westwood isn't with them, in fact maybe he really should have won, seemed to get fascinated by sand in the second part of his round and still came up just one short. Oh, and could the USGA start employing a sniper, to cut down, on a random basis every few holes, one of the morons who shouts "GET IN THE HOLE" half a nano-second after the ball has left the clubface, especially when the player is way in the rough, or coming out of a fairway bunker?! I don't know how somebody like Woods keeps his cool with them, no wonder the people playing with him are at a disadvantage."
1821: Woods splits the fairway with his tee shot down the narrow seventh fairway. He certainly looks in the zone now. Mediate's drive rolls into the first cut of rough.
1820: Mediate calmly rolls in his tricky six footer but Tiger now leads by a stroke with a third of the round gone. After 6: Woods Level, Mediate +1
1818: Tiger follows a perfect approach with a perfect putt which breaks into the cup for a birdie three. He played that hole beautifully.
1817: Just to answer a couple more e-mails. Sorry, I'm not sure why there isn't any live coverage in Mexico at the moment and I'm afraid there's no live internet coverage. We should have some pictures in our photo gallery up soon though.
1816: Mediate looks as if he's duffed his chip but it takes the slope and swings towards the hole, finishing about six feet away.
1815: Tonga writes: "I'm stuck here with no TV and you are saving my bacon with this excellent reporting... let's hope Tiger does likewise."
1813: Mediate's approach bounces through the green and into the deep greenside rough. Woods has 185 yards to the green and, with the wind behind, goes with nine iron. It's the perfect club as his ball is all over the flag and lands just eight feet short. What was I saying about no sign of fireworks!
1811: Navin Dayaram writes: "This is Navin from Texas in the USA.
Is Tiger taking it easy and waiting for Rocco to make mistakes or is he trying to get birdies.
Sadly I am at work now." It seems that Woods is just trying to play solid golf after a rather iffy start. No signs of fireworks just yet.
1809: Bigwally writes: "Great job - keep it up. Tell them to slow down. I want a few holes left for TV broadcast when I get home from work." They are actually playing at a decent pace today so you might have to slip off early.
1808: Both players hit fine drives at the par four sixth.
1805: Michael Pugh writes: "Unable to watch live coverage at the moment, I also think it will go all the way to the last couple of holes. What a match in prospect. Am enjoying your "shot by shot" coverage on the internet. How does Tiger's knee look, and do you think it is having an effect on his game at the moment?" It looks okay Michael but I do think he's having to protect it a little by playing within himself. The last couple of holes Rocco has outdriven him!
1803: Tiger's 18 foot birdie putt breaks right and fails to drop. He still has a bit of tidying up to do. Mediate almost cashes in but his par putt is just shy and rolls across the front edge of the cup. Woods drains his par putt and it's honours even through five. After 5: Woods +1, Mediate +1
1801: Mediate gets a break as he has a clear shot to the green. It's still a difficult shot but he plays it brilliantly, his chip rolling back from the fringe and within 10 feet of the cup. A chance to rescue a par.
1800: Meadey writes: "Can nothing be done to stop those cretins shouting after every shot? All it would take is a Marshall to remove a couple now and again." Sort of agree Meadey. It does get ridiculous when they shout "get in the hole" after a tee shot to a par five. Tiger has barely finished his follow through when they start bellowing.
1757: Woods hits a nice approach to the front edge of the green and is pin high but there's drama with Mediate's second. He pulls it out of the bunker and it takes two huge hops on cart paths to the left of the fairway and bounces way beyond the spectators. Does he have a shot back to the green?
1754: Paul Taylor writes: "Hey Dave, Any evidence that Tiger is bothered by his knee? Is he limping or grimacing?" It seems okay today Paul. Good news if you've backed him.
1750: Mediate hits a poor drive into a fairway bunker at the fifth and, in a reversal of roles, it's Tiger who splits the fairway.
1748: Mediate two-putts for his par and Tiger also makes his four so Mediate stays one in front. After 4: Woods +1, Mediate Level
1747: Thabiso Mosia writes: "I'm in South Africa at work and this is the only way I can follow the golf for now. Great job thanks, is Tiger wearing the red shirt shirt?" He sure is Thabiso. So is Rocco although he's got a Callaway tank-top over it.
1745: Fabulous pitch from Tiger leaves him a tap-in for par.
1744: Kieran O'Neill writes: "Hey Dave. Stuck at work but I think it will come down to the final hole again today. What happens if they are still tied?" Well, Kieran, it then becomes sudden death - the format that many suggest they should have used after the final hole yesterday.
1742: Tiger hits a low draw but doesn't get enough on it and he's some way short of the green. He'll need to get up and down for par. Mediate hits an excellent five woods onto the putting surface but some way short of the flag at the back of the green. "Who sets these pins?" quips Mediate. Once again there's a marked difference in attitude between the two men. Mediate doesn't seem to have a care in the world but Woods looks extremely wound up.
1738: Mediate just misses the fairway at the fourth but Tiger, for the third time in four holes, pulls his left and short of Rocco's ball. Not enough to flirt with the ocean but his driving so far is a worry.
1737: Don't forget, e-mail me your thoughts on the play-off at dave.tindall@bskyb.com.
1736: Mediate taps in for birdie and, after teeing off at the third one behind, he's now one in front. After 3: Woods +1, Mediate Level
1735: Woods pitches out and can't save his par. It's a bogey four and, for the time being, the two men are tied.
1730: Mediate almost holes in one! His tee-shot lands just shy of the hole and trickles just by the edge. It looks an almost certain birdie two and he could easily walk off the third green in the lead.
1728: Now for the spectacular par three third as the players hit their tee-shots down towards the ocean. Woods comes up a yard shot and his ball plugs in the bunker. He has it all to do to make par from there.
1725: Woods holds his nerve and strokes in a fine par putt and Mediate follows him in. That's a par apiece and Tiger still leads by one. After 2: Woods Level, Mediate +1
1722: Excellent chip by Mediate leaves him a four footer for par. Woods' response is a little clumsy and he finishes five feet away.
1720: Mediate plays a poor approach onto a bank at the side of the green while Woods comes up short and finds the rough.
1715: A wild drive by Woods at the second leaves him in trouble. Mediate finds light rough so it's a chance for the underdog to strike back.
1710: Woods has made a hash of the first hole all week, making three double bogeys. But this time he makes a solid par and it's Mediate who flinches, missing a shortish par putt and taking bogey. Advantage Tiger: After 1: Woods Level, Mediate +1
1700: Welcome to our live coverage of the US Open play-off. In the red corner it's world number one Tiger Woods trying to bag his 14th major. In the blue, it's happy-go-lucky Rocco Mediate seeking to win his first. A genuine David and Goliath clash but, with Tiger's dodgy near, is it a foregone conclusion? Much can happen over the next 18 holes and you can follow it blow-by-blow live with us.
