SAN DIEGO - Rocco Mediate knows how he's going to try to beat Tiger Woods on Monday in their 18-hole playoff to decide the 108th U.S. Open.

It doesn't involve searching for some inner place of purpose and peace amid the intense pressure he faces playing the world's best player one-on-one.

"I might listen to something like Metallica or AC/DC to get all nasty and mean," Mediate said.

Mediate might show up with warrior paint smeared across his face.

"He wants to kill me," he said. "I want to kill him. That's just how it is."

Mediate's joking.

The man didn't win the U.S. Open on Sunday, but nobody had more fun trying.

At 45 years, 5 months of age, Mediate isn't supposed to be in this position. Nobody that old has ever won the U.S. Open. Hale Irwin was 45 years, 15 days old when he won it.

Mediate has never won a major, hasn't won anything in six years. He missed cuts in eight of his first 10 PGA Tour events this year. He is one of the shorter hitters on tour, ranking 175th in driving distance. And then there's his bad back, which has plagued him nearly his entire PGA Tour career, though he's feeling good this week.

Mediate's secret weapon is really no secret.

It's his attitude.

"It was a blast," he said of shooting even-par 71 on Sunday to come from two shots behind Woods to make the playoff. "I've never had more fun and more insanity. It's just amazing."

Mediate may have the best attitude anyone's ever taken into a showdown with Woods. He is going to seize the day Monday, just like he did Sunday, when he chatted with fans, laughed and giggled with his caddie and waved to folks in the jam-packed bleachers as if he were in a parade.

"How much better can this get?" Mediate said. "It's going to be unbelievable. I can't believe I'm in this situation. It's great."

Mediate won't lose because he's frightened or because he can't stand the pressure. He relishes this atmosphere and all that goes with it.

"This week has been a total dream," he said.

Mediate may not win, but he will guarantee something about Monday.

"It's going to be a very entertaining day, I can assure you that," he said.

Even Woods likes Mediate's attitude.

"Rock's a great guy," Woods said. "He's one of the greatest guys, a super nice guy out here on tour."

Of course, attitude isn't all that got Mediate into this playoff. He has hit 36 fairways this week, six more than Woods. He has hit as many greens in regulation as Woods (46) and he has taken as many putts as Woods (115).

Really, though, Mediate's attitude figures into his ball striking.

There was a fearlessness to his play Sunday.

He hit the ball dead at pins more than anyone in contention in the final round.

At the second hole, with Woods knocking two shots off a tree at the first hole in the pairing behind him, Mediate stuffed his approach 5 feet from the pin to set up his first birdie. At the third hole, he nearly holed out his tee shot. It took one bounce and hit the corner of the hole. He aggressively went right at the pins at the 15th, 16th and 17th holes.

"Of course I want to win, of course I do," Mediate said.

Nobody's more determined to have more fun trying.

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