June 18 in sports history: 'Just the perfect display of golf'

Afterward, praise for his game rolled in from his "competition."

"Tiger Woods is the man, plain and simple. For some reason, I don't know why it is, people are still doubting this guy a bit. I had a couple of people ask me if anyone could catch him today," said Rocco Mediate. "Catch him? Are you kidding me? As long as he was upright, he was going to win today."

"It was awesome to watch, just a dominating performance. He was never in any kind of trouble," said Ernie Els, who finished tied for second. "Whatever I say is an understatement. Just the perfect display of golf."

"We all felt for the longest time that someone was going to come along who could drive the ball 300 yards and putt like Ben Crenshaw," Nick Price said. "Well, this guy drives the ball better than anyone I've seen and putts better than Crenshaw. He's a phenomenon, no doubt about it."

The win was extra-special for Woods because it came on Father's Day. His dad, Earl, taught him the game. "I can't wait to give this thing to my dad," he said, holding the Open trophy, "and let him rub it."

THE BEAR IS GOLDEN

1960: And the guy Tiger is still chasing for most major championship wins was decent on this date too.

Sixty years ago, Jack Nicklaus — amateur golfer Jack Nicklaus — finished second at the U.S. Open, two strokes behind crowd favorite Arnold Palmer. Arnie earned $14,400 for the victory.

Nicklaus, a 20-year-old junior at Ohio State, led the tournament after 63 holes. Palmer, dubbed the "30-year-old strong-boy from the Western Pennsylvania town of Ligonier" by the Philadelphia Inquirer, had seven birdies in his final-round 65. 

Seven years later, the Golden Bear got his revenge against Arnie, winning the Open by four strokes over Palmer.

"Nicklaus sent them down for the count with a savage barrage of golf... eight birdies, a five-under par 65, a new U. S. Open record of 275," wrote Akron Beacon Journal sports columnist Jack Patterson. "He was a [Jack] Dempsey, a [Joe] Louis in style; a streetfighter with a silver-shafted club in execution."

And in 1972 at Pebble Beach, Nicklaus won another Open, this time by three strokes over Bruce Crampton. He tied Bobby Jones mark for most major titles with 13.

"Jack Nicklaus stood like a blond colossus atop the pinnacle of all golf today beside the late Bob Jones and halfway home toward an almost unthinkable Grand Slam ... " wrote Will Grimsley of The Associated Press.  

"Bob Jones always was my idol and, as I was growing up, I talked about equalling his record of 13 major championships," Nicklaus told reporters after his third U.S. Open title. 

Nicklaus finished his career with 18 major titles, three ahead of Woods.

'I AM SUCH AN IDIOT'

2006: And then there's Phil Mickelson, who, on this date, bungled an Open title in his grasp with a double-bogey on the final hole. With the shocking collapse, Lefty handed the title to Geoff Ogilvy, who won by a stroke.

"I am such an idiot," said Mickelson, who shot a final-round 74. It was his fourth runner-up finish in the Open, one of his favorite tournaments. Mickelson figured the pain from blowing this one would linger.

SHE CAN HOOP

2017: In a win over the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix's Diana Taurasi, the former UConn star, scored 19 points to break the WNBA career scoring record. Her parents and former Lakers star Kobe Bryant were there. "She's just a phenomenal athlete," the Mamba said.

'VILLAGE IDIOT'

1976: Concerned about the sport's competitive balance, MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn voided the sale of Oakland Athletics stars Vida Blue to the Yankees and Rollie Fingers and Joe Rudi to the Red Sox. Flamboyant Oakland owner Charlie Finley, who was set to reap $3.5 million from the deal, was peeved. "Village idiot," he called the commish.

BASEBALL NUGGETS

1953: In a 23-3 win over the despised Tigers at Fenway Park, the Red Sox had an epic seventh: 17 runs (a modern record), 14 hits and six walks. Gene Stephens collected three hits in the inning. "If the Sox had scored 117 runs in their record-breaking inning, they probably would have felt only some mild symptoms of sympathy for their hapless opponents because of the antagonism that has sprung up between these two clubs," wrote Boston Globe columnist Harold Kaese.

1975: In a 15-1 win over the Tigers in Detroit, Boston's Fred Lynn drove in 10 runs with three homers, a triple and a single. His 16 total bases tied an AL record. He even got a standing ovation from Tigers fans in center field. "The last time I played here," the center fielder told the Boston Globe, "they were throwing golf balls at me."

1986: 41-year-old Angels right-hander Don Sutton beat the Rangers, 5-1, for his 300th career win. Sutton, the 19th pitcher to reach the milestone, won more than 20 games in a season only once during his 23-year career in the bigs. 

Happy birthday ... 

• Lou Brock, who swiped 938 bases in the big leagues, second all time behind only Rickey Henderson. (81)
• Antonio Gates, undrafted free agent who left the game as the premier tight end of the league. In his 16 seasons with the Chargers, Gates became the team’s career leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. (40)
• All-time sacks leader Bruce Smith, a Hall of Famer who played 19 years for the Bills and Redskins.  (57) 
• Former MLB first baseman Andres Galarraga. Over his 19-year career that began in Montreal, Galarraga earned two Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, five trips to the All-Star Game and an NL batting title. (59)

R.I.P.

2018: Walter Bahr, considered one of the best-ever U.S. soccer players. He was captain of the U.S. men’s soccer team and helped it to an upset of England in the 1950 FIFA World Cup. He died of complications from a broken hip at age 91.

2003: Larry Doby, the first African-American player in baseball’s American League.  He died at 79.

2002: Legendary baseball announcer Jack Buck, the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals for some 50 years. Buck also did national baseball and football broadcasts, including his infamous “Unbelievable” following Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit-winning homer in the 1988 World Series. He died of cancer at 77.

June 17: A car chase that mesmerized America