US Open golf: Woods birdies final hole to force play-off with Rocco Mediate

TIGER Woods forced an 18-hole play-off with fellow American Rocco Mediate for the US Open title on the final hole of the fourth round at Torrey Pines.

High drama on the 18th saw both Woods and England's Lee Westwood with tricky putts to join Mediate on one under but after Westwood missed the first, the world number one sunk his with his customary coolness.

Both men will return in the morning to battle it out over a full round, though Woods will go into the day's play as heavy favourite.

With Mediate holding a one-stroke lead and watching from a scoring booth, Woods holed a 15-foot birdie putt on 18 to take the championship into an extra day.

"Unbelievable, I knew he would make it," Mediate said after Woods' putt wrapped around the cup before dropping.

Mediate shot an even-par 71 to finish at a one-under-par 283, while Woods, a little off colour for much of the fourth round as he clearly struggled with an injury, played his first two holes in three over and signed for a 73.

Woods entered Sunday at three under and with a one-stroke lead over Westwood.

But he never got in a consistent rhythm, carding his worst round of the week.

Westwood had a chance for a birdie on 18 as well, but missed from 25 feet and finished a stroke out of the play-off alone in third on an even-par 284.

Mediate was not too down-hearted after seeing glory snatched from his grasp at the last moment.

He told Sky Sports 1: "It was harder for me today and I didn't play as good as I could.

"I'm ecstatic, though, making him (Woods) do something special – and fully knowing he would.

"The play-off is going to be unreal. How many opportunities does anyone have to go up against the best player on the planet in the US Open? I don't know what's going to happen."

Westwood, meanwhile, admitted to disappointment but took positives from his first real assault on a major title.

"I'm a little bit gutted but pretty satisfied generally. I was delighted with my short game and how it held up under pressure.

"I felt pretty calm, too. I was not too nervous but there were a few butterflies. I stuck in there, though, it's just fine margins.

"It's more important in a major championship; the pressure and the rewards are greater and you have to know you can handle those."