Rocco Mediate Making a Name for Himself

It’s time we get this straight. Rocco Mediate’s name is pronounced wrong much too often.

“There are a thousand different versions,” Mediate said.

The first name is simple--Rocco, as in Rocky. And yes, he is from Pennsylvania. Not Philadelphia, but Greensburg.

In fact, he even looks a little like Dodger catcher Mike Scioscia, who is also from Pennsylvania--Upper Darby.

And the last name is Mediate, as in mee-dee-ate. Long A. Not meditate, as it is often pronounced. And not the Italian pronunciation-- Mee-dee-ah-tay-- even though he is Italian. His grandfather’s name was also Rocco.

“I think Mediate by itself would be OK, but when you put Rocco in front of it, it makes it hard,” Mediate’s wife, Linda, said Friday as she watched her husband shoot a four-under 67 in the second round in the L. A. Open at Rivera Country Club. He finished at 10 under, in second place, a stroke off the lead.

“The name used to be pronounced the Italian way, but somewhere along the line it got changed,” she said. “But Rocco says he wants to be known for his golf, anyway, not his name.”

Even the officials here at the prestigious Riviera Country Club can’t get it right.

“You should have heard the guy announce him yesterday,” said Dave Stockton, who was grouped with Mediate for the first two rounds. “Then he says Rocco is from Pontro Verdo. At least he got the Florida part right.”

That’s Ponte Vedra, Fla., where Mediate lives now. But what he’s called doesn’t really matter to him. What he cares about is how he is playing--and right now, he’s playing well.

This is Mediate’s fifth year on the tour. In his first four years, he made a total of $395,099. His best finish was a tie for second at the 1987 Provident tournament.

Seemingly, his rise to prominence began a few weeks ago at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, where he was a stroke off the lead after three rounds, but he faltered with a 77 on the final day.

His goal was to finish in the top 10. He finished eighth.

But it was his experience at Pebble Beach that Mediate said helped his game the most. As one of the leaders, he was paired with Mark O’Meara, who won the tournament.

“O’Meara just went out and played consistent, and Rocco realized that you don’t have to perform miracles on every hole to win a tournament, you just have to be consistent,” Linda Mediate said.

“His attitude is better, also. Some of the guys have the feeling that they don’t belong playing with the big guys, the winners. But Rocco feels now that he can be up there with the others. He says there’s no more messing around.”

Mediate said Pebble Beach also taught him not to be afraid to lead a tournament.

“The last three years, I didn’t want to get in this position (the lead) because I was afraid,” Mediate said. “Everyone is looking at you and all. But I’m not afraid anymore. Because of Pebble, I knew that I could get here.”

Mediate shot a 65 Thursday and began the second round two strokes off the lead. He birdied the first hole, then two-putted on each of the next six holes to stay at seven under. He sank a 10-foot putt on No. 8 for a birdie that put him eight under.

On the backside, he birdied 10 and 17, finishing at 10 under for the tournament, a 67 for the day.

“I had fun today,” Mediate said. “I’m hitting as good as I ever have.”

That is perhaps the best thing about watching Mediate, he looks as though he is having fun.

And, he’s approachable. Before he teed off Friday, he signed autographs and shook hands with the fans flocking around the practice putting green. In his baggy pants and oversized golf shirt, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Mediate appeared relaxed, tranquil.

His goal, Mediate said, is to get to the top in golf, and then see how he performs.

“If I do have the lead, I have to learn to play with it,” he said. “I’m not out here to finish 30th every week. I do it a lot, but I just want to get better.”

Mediate, 27, did not start playing golf until he was 16. He said a few of his friends were playing, so he decided to give it a shot. He was at Florida Southern University when his game improved, “when I was about 20,” he said.

Before Mediate’s golfing days, he spent his time pitching baseballs. His father, Anthony Mediate, was a minor league pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirate organization.

“I was a decent player, but I don’t know if I would have been any good,” Mediate said.

In golf, he doesn’t have to wonder.