Harig: Mediate believes U.S. Open loss made him better

AP Photo/Jon Super Rocco Mediate had a rough start to his British Open. But he rebounded nicely to finish with a 1-under-par 69 on Thursday at Royal Birkdale. The woman who, with others, has been credited with alleviating Mediate's back woes was with him at a Brentwood Starbucks a few days after his thrilling playoff loss to Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open in mid-June. And she couldn't believe it. "People were fighting over who was going to buy his coffee," said Hilfman, a physical therapist for Fitness Golfer in Santa Monica, Calif. "He is like a rock star now." Mediate has made his way to this west coast, in England, some 6,000 miles and eight time zones from his California exploits. But the glow has not left him, despite Thursday's dreary weather. With a birdie-birdie finish at Royal Birkdale, Mediate shot a 1-under 69 to... [read full story]