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GREENSBORO — Get ready for Rocco: The most popular runner-up in U.S. Open history says he's playing in this summer's Wyndham Championship.

Rocco Mediate, who lost the national championship in an epic 19-hole playoff to Tiger Woods, told Wyndham officials of his intent this week. It injects a much-needed dose of celebrity into a tournament lacking stars in recent years.

"He's not just a popular golfer in this part of the country, but all over the world," said Mark Brazil, the Wyndham tournament director. "Check out every golf blog or sports show and it's all about Rocco."

Mediate has always been a fan favorite in Greensboro, where two of his five PGA Tour victories came — in 1993 and 2002.

His local lore only grew after he forced Woods to birdie the 18th hole in the fourth round of this month's U.S. Open at Torrey Pines to prompt a Monday playoff. There, he rallied from three shots down after 10 holes and forced Woods again to birdie the 18th hole leading to a sudden-death playoff that Woods won on the first hole.

Since then, Mediate's world ranking has jumped from 158th to 45th. He appeared on NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and has been swamped with interview requests ever since.

"I don't really know how many — a million requests, 25 or a million, one of the two," he said this week. "I haven't slept much."

Most golfers are tempted to skip the Wyndham given its grueling August date. Mediate told Brazil he's intrigued by the tournament's return to Sedgefield, a Donald Ross design.

Mediate occasionally managed to sneak over to Sedgefield to play a round when the Wyndham was at Forest Oaks. At last year's Wachovia, he was one of the tour's first players to push for the tournament's move to Sedgefield.

"In case you haven't noticed, Mr. Ross isn't building any more courses," he said. "Getting an old course like Sedgefield as a regular stop would be a brilliant move, and I think players would respond to that."

Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell@news-record.com