Mediate stuns with ‘insane’ finish

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  • October 18, 2010

For the fourth round in a row, Rocco Mediate holed out for an eagle – and this one won him the Frys.com Open in California.

Rocco Mediate claimed his first PGA Tour victory since 2002 on Sunday after an extraordinary finish in the Frys.com Open at Corde Valle Golf Club in San Martin, California.
Mediate looked to have squandered his three-shot overnight lead after playing the first 12 holes of his final round in five over par.
But the 47-year-old American then birdied the par-three 16th and holed out with his approach to the 17th for an eagle two.
It was the fourth time in four straight rounds that Mediate had holed a full shot for an eagle during the week, and it was even more remarkable this time, given what had gone before.
Just seconds earlier, playing partner Alex Prugh had almost holed his tee shot on the reachable par four for an albatross, leaving himself a tap-in for eagle which looked like giving him a share of the lead.
Mediate had other ideas however, but had the good grace to shrug in disbelief and mouth “What the hell is going on?” after holing his approach from 116 yards, the ball spinning back into the cup.
The drama was not yet complete, with Prugh and Bo van Pelt both admirably making birdie on the 18th to leave Mediate facing a four-foot par putt for the win.
Mediate held his nerve to complete a closing round of 73 for a winning total of 15 under par, one clear of Prugh and Van Pelt.
Ryder Cup star Rickie Fowler, who lost a play-off for the same tournament last year, was a shot further back after a 69.
A stunned Mediate said afterwards: “It’s insane. I was having a tough time today with the weather, it was busting me up, and then I got a little angry.
“On seventeen I had Alex mark his ball and when mine went in it was the same reaction as on previous days, ‘Are you kidding me?”‘

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