SAN DIEGO • Rocco Mediate stared down Tiger Woods and ended like most humans who take on a tiger — even a wounded one — one on one.

Another victim.

Mediate sits 158th in the world ranking. Woods tops the list.

They were the unlikeliest pairing, but they put on a show for the ages. Better golf had been played throughout the championship, but no drama had unfolded better than what happened Monday.

Give Mediate his respect. He took Woods further than any golfer had taken Woods in a major championship. Mediate was good but, in the end, Woods was better.

No surprise there. Woods has been better more times than not.

Ninety holes couldn’t decide the 108th U.S. Open. It took the first hole of sudden death at Torrey Pines.

Woods is two months removed from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Yet, it was Woods who remained steady late. Mediate crumbled.

“The only thing that I take from this is I gave him the best that I had, and it wasn’t quite good enough, but it almost was,” Mediate said. “It wasn’t like I got my butt handed to me today. … If anybody in this world goes up against Tiger when he’s at his best, they are going to lose. It’s just that simple. I don’t care who it is.”

Woods wasn’t at his best — the knee contributed to that. But he was solid when he had to be.

Woods drove to the edge of the fairway on the 461-yard, par-4 seventh hole — the first hole of sudden death. Mediate found a bunker on his drive and had to drop after his second shot bounced off the cart path and hit the bleachers. Woods’ approach landed about 12 feet short of the hole. The birdie putt stopped an inch short. Mediate’s chip rolled about 18 feet past the cup.

Mediate missed the par putt. Woods made it.

Very close to a huge upset, Mediate becomes another cub in the Tiger Den.

That’s 14 major championships for Woods. That’s the Tiger creeping up on the Golden Bear, too.

“Well, only being four back, it’s hard to believe I’m in this situation, you know?” Woods said, referring to Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 major championships. “It’s hard to believe I’ve had this nice a run in my career. And hopefully it will continue. I’m going to keep practicing, keep trying to grind and get better.”

That begs the question: Have we seen Woods at his best?

Woods trailed when he teed off on No. 18 the last three days of the tournament.

Didn’t matter.

Woods played against doctors’ orders. He hinted about possibly further injuring his left knee.Didn’t matter.

Woods played against an enthused competitor who had nothing to lose.Again, it didn’t matter.

“I think this is probably the best ever,” Woods said. Better than his 1997 Masters victory. Better than the 2000 U.S. Open. “All things considered, don’t know how I ended up in this position, to be honest with you. The week was — it was a long week. A lot of doubt, a lot of questions going into the week.”

Mediate walked 18 with a one-shot lead and was greeted with a hero’s welcome. The 45-year-old from Greensburg, Pa., became the sentimental favorite over the past few days. His happy-go-lucky attitude was easy to like. Plus, nobody loves an underdog more than the American sports fan. A host of those fans had waited in the stands since 6 a.m. to see what transpired.They wanted to see the U.S. Open come down to the final few shots.

Their gamble paid off — almost. They witnessed a great finish before the real finish.

Mediate drove into the rough on 18. Woods, needing a possible eagle, but at least a birdie, unloaded his finest drive of the round. Woods made the green in two. Mediate in three.

Woods’ eagle putt missed by about 4 feet. Mediate’s birdie putt missed, too. The fans groaned with each miss. Cheers rang out after Woods sank the birdie putt and Mediate the par.

“It’s pressure, there’s no doubt,” Woods said. “I was nervous and that’s a good thing. That means you care. You can try and use that energy as best you can to heighten your focus and then get into the right situation, and it worked out great for me this week.”The right situation seems to happen to Woods a lot.

Prominent Chicago architect Walter A. Netsch Jr., who designed the University of Illinois-Chicago campus and the Cadet Chapel has died at the age of 88. Netsch died of pneumonia Sunday, June 15, 2008 at his Chicago home. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

David Zalubowski