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If the 2019 Masters is the most improbable major victory of Tiger Woods’ career, then the 2008 U.S. Open has to be the most unbelievable. 

Woods won the tournament in an 18 hole Monday playoff against Rocco Mediate to claim his 14th major. 

Of course, that’s not even half the story. 

As we would later find out, Woods was playing the tournament with a Torn ACL, something that had been bothering him throughout the season and that he got surgery on after The Masters. It would be his third knee surgery.

As Armen Keteyian and Jeff Benedict report in their book “Tiger Woods,” the surgery didn’t go as well as planned because his knee was such a mess and his ACL was completely torn. 

As they report in the book, Woods refused to have season ending reconstructive surgery because he wanted to play in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. 

Doctors advised him not to play.

“I’m playing in the U.S. Open. And I’m going to win it,” Woods is quoted as telling Hank Haney. 

Woods added, “it’s just pain,” according to the book. 

Where Was I 

In the summer of 2008, I was about to head into my junior year at the University of Hartford. 

At the time I was interning with the sports department at WPRI 12 and watched a good portion of the third round with sports anchor Rob Garofalo. 

Like this week, the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey was shown in prime time, so this was all taking place at night.

Everyone replays the final putt on 18 that Tiger made to tie Rocco and force a playoff, the “did you expect anything different call” by NBC’s Dan Hicks will live on forever.

However, it was the third round that was magical. 

Woods didn’t do much on the front nine that day except grimace and nearly fall over in pain from his knee. 

Every time he grimaced, so did we. And I still do when I watch the replays.

But on the back nine, magic happened. 

Woods drained a long putt for eagle on 13, with Hicks exclaiming “Welcome to Tiger Pines,” as the fans went crazy. 

Then on 17, he chipped in for birdie on a shot that should have rolled ten feet past the flag. 

Re-watching the video, you can hear a fan yell “in the hole,” and a half second later the ball goes in. What a moment. 

Then of course there is 18. 

Woods goes for the green in two and makes it, but barely watches his shot because he nearly falls over in pain. 

Minutes later, he drains the huge eagle putt, sending Torrey Pines into a frenzy. 

He was taking the lead into Sunday. 

I remember both Rob and I both jumped out of our respective seats when the putt dropped in. 

To this day, that might be the most unbelievable round of golf (or at least nine holes) that I have watched.

That would probably be true for the entire tournament.