108th U.S. Open Second Round News and Notes

La Jolla, CA (My Sportsbook) - "Bet you didn't think I'd be back here, did you?"
The question was asked Friday by Rocco Mediate, who had just finished off a 71 in the second round of the U.S. Open.
The 45-year-old Mediate, among the most popular and ebullient players on the PGA Tour, held the lead longer than any other player Friday at tough Torrey Pines.
But three back-nine bogeys left him one shot off the eventual second-round lead held by Stuart Appleby -- and tied for second place with, among others, Tiger Woods.
It's a situation that might have seemed impossible until Mediate survived an 11-man playoff at a qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, last week to earn himself a 13th start in his favorite tournament.
As much a fan of golf as he is one of its singular personalities, Mediate was clearly relishing the share of the spotlight he held Friday while playing what could be, by his own estimation, one of his last U.S. Opens.
Limited to 18 events in 2006 while battling a lingering back injury, Mediate played last season on a minor medical exemption. He has made 17 starts already this season, missing the cut eight times and withdrawing once.
His best finish came at the Memorial -- one day before his U.S. Open qualifier -- where he tied for sixth place.
And now this, heading to the weekend with a chance to win his first major championship. It's something Mediate, a five-time PGA Tour winner, knows will be hard to come by, even in his current position.
"There's only four of them a year...But you never know. You never know," he said. "I like what I saw the first two days, and I'm doing pretty good so far. So I'm looking forward to seeing how I feel on the first tee tomorrow. It will be exciting."
Despite Torrey Pines' daunting 7,600-yard layout, its deep rough and quickening greens, Mediate felt comfortable playing the picturesque Southern California course. It fits his eye, he said.
"It's such a good examination of everything you got," said Mediate. "Especially in your head. It's mostly a head game here."
At his age, and with his history of back problems, Mediate was happy to be in a good enough position to get a late third-round tee time. He will tee off with Appleby at 3 p.m. (pt).
"It's great," said Mediate. "I don't have many mornings left."
BYE-BYE POULTER
Englishman Ian Poulter withdrew on Friday after 15 holes with an unspecified injury.
"He just said he was off so he left us," said Luke Donald, who, along with Paul Casey played with Poulter through the first two rounds. "He just said good-bye and good luck."
Poulter was five-over par on his round and 12-over for the championship.
OPEN NOTES
- For the second day in a row, the par-four 12th played as the most difficult hole. On Friday, the 504-yard hole played to an average of 4.6323 shots. It has been the toughest hole for the week with an average of 4.6161.
- The par-five 18th played as the easiest hole again. In round two, the closing hole played to an average of 4.7727 shots. For the championship, it has been the easiest hole with a 4.7896 average.
- Angel Cabrera will not become the first player to successfully defend the U.S. Open title since Curtis Strange in 1988-89. Cabrera missed the cut at plus-13.
- There is still hope for a single-season Grand Slam. Masters champion Trevor Immelman shot a two-over 73 on Sunday and finished 36 holes at plus-six, nine shots off the lead.
- Leader Stuart Appleby's long birdie putt at his last hole got him to three- under par for the championship. Due to the rule that allows anyone within 10 shots of the lead to make the cut, that Appleby birdie knocked off 11 players eight-over par.
- Adam Scott carelessly double-bogeyed the 18th hole on Friday. He walked up to tap in a bogey putt, but the ball lipped out. Scott holed a four-footer to get in with the double-bogey.
- The featured trio of the top-three players in the world -- Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Scott -- were grouped together the first two rounds. Mickelson and Scott will play together on Saturday.
- The low round of the day and tournament was registered by Miguel Angel Jimenez. The Spaniard fired an impressive 66 on Friday to move into a tie for fifth at minus-one.