It took an extra 18 holes at Torrey Pines in San Diego, but Tiger Woods claimed his third U.S. Open Championship, [beating Rocco Mediate](http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/usopen08/news/story?id=3446435) in a playoff round Monday.
Several times during the weekend, Woods was seen grimacing after swinging his club, a result of knee surgery he had two months earlier. It was the first tournament he had played in since the surgery.
Mediate, the 158th-ranked player in the world, gave the No. 1 Woods a run for his money, leading by one headed into the 18th and final playoff hole. But after his tee shot missed the fairway and Woods hit his straight and true, the Cinderella story came to an end.
Next year’s U.S. Open will be played at Bethpage Black, where Tiger won it six years ago in 2002.