STROKE OF THE DAY

"A good golf course makes you want to play so badly that you hardly have the time to change your shoes. "

If you’re thinking about heading out to Torrey Pines Monday morning to buy a ticket for the playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate to decide the 2008 U.S. Open champion, forget about it. Playoff tickets have been sold out for nearly a year.

According to a USGA official, ticket packages for the U.S. Open included a ticket for a potential Monday playoff. So unless you’re already in possession of a ticket or happen to know someone who is and can’t attend, the closest you’re going to get to watching Woods in his quest for a 14th major championship is in front of your television set.

The playoff begins at 9 a.m. and will be televised until 11 a.m. on ESPN. Coverage then will switch over to NBC from 11 a.m. until the playoff is completed.