BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN // Rocco Mediate is excited about the possibility of playing in the Ryder Cup team, but insists his main focus is on the US PGA Championship. One of the most popular players on tour after his battle with Tiger Woods at the US Open in June, the veteran is concentrating on trying to secure his first major victory at Oakland Hills. He was due to begin his first round in the late hours (UAE time) yesterday.
After coming close against Woods at Torrey Pines, Mediate, 45, is determined to go a step further. "I want to have another good major championship this year, and this is the last try. So the rest of that will take care of itself," he said. "If I have a good one here, my job will be done with the Ryder Cup, maybe, or maybe not. But that's the secondary thing really. I want to have a good PGA Championship, and have another shot at one of these, because I really enjoyed that last one."
Since his Torrey Pines showdown he has received a lot of media attention which has been tiring for him. He added: "I'm still a bit unsettled. Still lots going on, but it's been great. "There's a lot more people around, a lot more people in practice rounds, doing more of this. It's fine. It's just time management is the tough part, but it's going good." Mediate is 12th on the Ryder Cup points list and a big week at Oakland Hills could ensure he plays in the showpiece on merit and does not have to depend on being picked by the United States captain Paul Azinger.
"I still have a lot of stuff to do. One more good shot here to get in the top eight is what we are all looking to do," Mediate said. "Then there's a couple more events after to see what the captain thinks, which is a great way to do it. "I think he made a good move in changing the way, instead of having all the picks Monday morning, he'll watch a few weeks and see who is really playing better. "It's something I want to do. I want another shot. So I told him [Azinger] a year and a half ago that I want to be on that team, and it wasn't looking good until a few months ago.
"That's all you can really ask for. It would be a lot of fun, though." Whether or not playing at Oakland Hills will be fun remains to be seen. The course dubbed "The Monster" has high roughs, severely sloping greens and tight fairways that give many players problems. But Mediate does not seem at all concerned and will enter the first round having played just nine practice holes - partly because of familiarity and partly out of self preservation.
"I'm tired. I'm tired right now," Mediate admitted. "I played last July in the British Open qualifier here and the golf course is right in front of you. The greens are difficult, but they are still right in front of you. I remember them all." He continued: "It's not rocket science. It's just you've got to be under these holes. You cannot play from over these greens. There's no tricks obviously, just a lot of long clubs for me, and I enjoy hitting them. So hopefully I can do well."
* PA Sport
