U.S. Open (golf)

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U.S. Open
Image:2009OpenLogo.gif
Tournament information
Location	United States
Established	1895
Course(s)	Bethpage State Park (Black Course) in 2009
Par	70 in 2009
Yardage	7,214 in 2009
Tour(s)	PGA Tour PGA European Tour Japan Golf Tour
Format	Stroke play
Purse	$7,500,000
Month Played	June
Tournament record scores
Aggregate	272 Jack Nicklaus (1980) 272 Lee Janzen (1993) 272 Tiger Woods (2000) 272 Jim Furyk (2003)
To-par	-12 Tiger Woods (2000)
Current champion
Tiger Woods

The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. It is staged by the United States Golf Association in mid-June, scheduled such that the final round is always played on the third Sunday, which is Father's Day. From 2008, it will also be an official money event on the Asian Tour, with 50% of Asian Tour members' earnings counting towards the Order of Merit.

The U.S. Open is staged at a variety of courses, set up in such a way that scoring is very difficult with a premium placed on accurate driving. U. S. Open play is characterized by tight scoring at or around par by the leaders, with the winner emerging at just under par. Torrey Pines in 2008 is a classic example. A U.S. Open course is seldom beaten severely, and there have been many over-par wins. Normally, an Open course is longer than normal and will have a high cut of rough (termed "Open rough" by the American press and fans), hilly greens (such as at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2005, which was described by Johnny Miller of NBC as "like trying to hit a ball on top of a VW Beetle"), and pinched fairways. Some courses that are attempting to get into the rotation for the U.S. Open will normally be rebuilt to have these features. Rees Jones is the most notable of the "Open Doctors" who take on these projects.

History

Michael Campbell holding U.S. Open Trophy

The first U.S. Open Championship was played on October 4, 1895, on a nine-hole course in Newport, Rhode Island. It was a 36-hole competition and was played in a single day. Ten professionals and one amateur entered. The winner was a 21-year-old Englishman named Horace Rawlins, who had arrived in the U.S. in January that year to take up a position at the host club. He received $150 cash out of a prize fund of $335, plus a $50 gold medal; his club received the Open Championship Cup trophy, which was presented by the USGA. In the beginning, the tournament was dominated by experienced British players until 1911, when John J. McDermott became the first native-born American winner. American golfers soon began to win regularly and the tournament evolved to become one of the four majors.

Throughout the modern history of the competition, the title has been won almost exclusively by players from the United States. Since 1950, players from only five nations other than the United States have won the championship, most notably South Africa, which has won five times since 1965.

A streak of four consecutive non-American winners occurred from 2004 to 2007 for the first time since 1910. These four players—South African Retief Goosen (2004), New Zealander Michael Campbell (2005), Australian Geoff Ogilvy (2006) and Argentinian Ángel Cabrera (2007) —are all from countries in the Southern Hemisphere. No player from Europe has won since Tony Jacklin of England in 1970.

The 2008 edition of the Open ended in a tie between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate forcing an 18 hole playoff on Monday morning. After completing 90 holes over 5 days, both players were still tied, marking only the 3rd time in Open history that a winner was determined using sudden death. On the first sudden death hole (# 7), Woods made par to Mediate's bogey becoming only the 6th player to win 3 or more US Opens.

Qualification and prizes

The U.S. Open is open to any professional, or to any amateur with an up-to-date USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 1.4. Players (male or female) may obtain a place by being fully exempt or by competing successfully in qualifying. The field is 156 players.

About half of the field is made up of players who are fully exempt from qualifying. There are seventeen full exemption categories, including winners of the U.S. Open for the last ten years and the other three majors for the last five years, the top 30 from the previous year's PGA Tour money list, the top 15 from the previous year's European Tour money list, and the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings as of two weeks before the tournament.

Potential competitors who are not fully exempt must enter the Qualifying process, which has two stages. Firstly there is Local Qualifying, which is played over 18 holes at over 100 courses around the United States. Many leading players are exempt from this first stage, and they join the successful local qualifiers at the Sectional Qualifying stage, which is played over 36 holes in one day at several sites in the U.S. and one each in Europe and Japan.

There is no lower age limit and the youngest ever qualifier was 15-year-old Tadd Fujikawa of Hawaii, who qualified in 2006.

The purse at the 2007 U.S. Open was $7 million, and the winner's share was $1.26 million. The PGA European Tour uses conversion rates at the time of the tournament to figure the official prize money used in their Order of Merit rankings (€5,241,402 in 2007). In line with the other majors, winning the U.S. Open gives a golfer several privileges that make his career much more secure, if he is not already one of the elite of the sport. U.S. Open champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (the Masters, the Open Championship (British Open), and the PGA Championship) for the next five years, as well as the near-major Players Championship, and they are exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Open itself for ten years. They may also receive a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour, which is automatic for regular members. Non-PGA Tour members who win the U.S. Open have the choice of joining the PGA Tour either within 60 days of winning, or prior to the beginning of any one of the next five tour seasons.

The top fifteen finishers at the U.S. Open are fully exempt from qualifying for the following year's Open, and the top eight are automatically invited to the following season's Masters.

Winners

Year	Champion	Country	Venue	Location	Score
2008	Tiger Woods	United States	Torrey Pines Golf Course	La Jolla, California	283 (-1)PO
2007	Ángel Cabrera	Argentina	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	285 (+5)
2006	Geoff Ogilvy	Australia	Winged Foot Golf Club, West Course	Mamaroneck, New York	285 (+5)
2005	Michael Campbell	New Zealand	Pinehurst Resort, Course No. 2	Pinehurst, North Carolina	280 (E)
2004	Retief Goosen	South Africa	Shinnecock Hills Golf Club	Shinnecock Hills, New York	276 (-4)
2003	Jim Furyk	United States	Olympia Fields Country Club, North Course	Olympia Fields, Illinois	272 (-8)
2002	Tiger Woods	United States	Bethpage State Park, Black Course	Farmingdale, New York	277 (-3)
2001	Retief Goosen	South Africa	Southern Hills Country Club	Tulsa, Oklahoma	276 (-4)PO
2000	Tiger Woods	United States	Pebble Beach Golf Links	Pebble Beach, California	272 (-12)
1999	Payne Stewart	United States	Pinehurst Resort, Course No. 2	Pinehurst, North Carolina	279 (-1)
1998	Lee Janzen	United States	Olympic Club, Lake Course	San Francisco, California	280 (E)
1997	Ernie Els	South Africa	Congressional Country Club, Blue Course	Bethesda, Maryland	276 (-4)
1996	Steve Jones	United States	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Hills, Michigan	278 (-2)
1995	Corey Pavin	United States	Shinnecock Hills Golf Club	Shinnecock Hills, New York	280 (E)
1994	Ernie Els	South Africa	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	279 (-5)PO
1993	Lee Janzen	United States	Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course	Springfield, New Jersey	272 (-8)
1992	Tom Kite	United States	Pebble Beach Golf Links	Pebble Beach, California	285 (-3)
1991	Payne Stewart	United States	Hazeltine National Golf Club	Chaska, Minnesota	282 (-6)PO
1990	Hale Irwin	United States	Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3	Medinah, Illinois	280 (-8)PO
1989	Curtis Strange	United States	Oak Hill Country Club, East Course	Rochester, New York	278 (-2)
1988	Curtis Strange	United States	The Country Club	Brookline, Massachusetts	278 (-6)PO
1987	Scott Simpson	United States	Olympic Club, Lake Course	San Francisco, California	277 (-3)
1986	Ray Floyd	United States	Shinnecock Hills Golf Club	Shinnecock Hills, New York	279 (-1)
1985	Andy North	United States	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Hills, Michigan	279 (-1)
1984	Fuzzy Zoeller	United States	Winged Foot Golf Club, West Course	Mamaroneck, New York	276 (-4)PO
1983	Larry Nelson	United States	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	280 (-4)
1982	Tom Watson	United States	Pebble Beach Golf Links	Pebble Beach, California	282 (-6)
1981	David Graham	Australia	Merion Golf Club, East Course	Ardmore, Pennsylvania	273 (-7)
1980	Jack Nicklaus	United States	Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course	Springfield, New Jersey	272 (-8)
1979	Hale Irwin	United States	Inverness Club	Toledo, Ohio	284 (E)
1978	Andy North	United States	Cherry Hills Country Club	Cherry Hills Village, Colorado	285 (+1)
1977	Hubert Green	United States	Southern Hills Country Club	Tulsa, Oklahoma	278 (-2)
1976	Jerry Pate	United States	Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands Course	Duluth, Georgia	277 (-3)
1975	Lou Graham	United States	Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3	Medinah, Illinois	287 (+3)PO
1974	Hale Irwin	United States	Winged Foot Golf Club, West Course	Mamaroneck, New York	287 (+7)
1973	Johnny Miller	United States	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	279 (-5)
1972	Jack Nicklaus	United States	Pebble Beach Golf Links	Pebble Beach, California	290 (+2)
1971	Lee Trevino	United States	Merion Golf Club, East Course	Ardmore, Pennsylvania	280 (E)PO
1970	Tony Jacklin	England	Hazeltine National Golf Club	Chaska, Minnesota	281 (-7)
1969	Orville Moody	United States	Champions Golf Club, Cypress Creek Course	Houston, Texas	281 (+1)
1968	Lee Trevino	United States	Oak Hill Country Club, East Course	Rochester, New York	275 (-5)
1967	Jack Nicklaus	United States	Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course	Springfield, New Jersey	275 (-5)
1966	Billy Casper	United States	Olympic Club, Lake Course	San Francisco, California	278 (-2)PO
1965	Gary Player	South Africa	Bellerive Country Club	Saint Louis, Missouri	282 (+2)PO
1964	Ken Venturi	United States	Congressional Country Club, Blue Course	Bethesda, Maryland	278 (-2)
1963	Julius Boros	United States	The Country Club	Brookline, Massachusetts	293 (+9)PO
1962	Jack Nicklaus	United States	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	283 (-1)PO
1961	Gene Littler	United States	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Hills, Michigan	281 (+1)
1960	Arnold Palmer	United States	Cherry Hills Country Club	Cherry Hills Village, Colorado	280 (-4)
1959	Billy Casper	United States	Winged Foot Golf Club, West Course	Mamaroneck, New York	282 (+2)
1958	Tommy Bolt	United States	Southern Hills Country Club	Tulsa, Oklahoma	283 (+3)
1957	Dick Mayer	United States	Inverness Club	Toledo, Ohio	282 (+2)PO
1956	Cary Middlecoff	United States	Oak Hill Country Club, East Course	Rochester, New York	281 (+1)
1955	Jack Fleck	United States	Olympic Club, Lake Course	San Francisco, California	287 (+7)PO
1954	Ed Furgol	United States	Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course	Springfield, New Jersey	284 (+4)
1953	Ben Hogan	United States	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	283 (-5)
1952	Julius Boros	United States	Northwood Club	Dallas, Texas	281 (+1)
1951	Ben Hogan	United States	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Hills, Michigan	287 (+7)
1950	Ben Hogan	United States	Merion Golf Club, East Course	Ardmore, Pennsylvania	287 (+7)PO
1949	Cary Middlecoff	United States	Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3	Medinah, Illinois	286 (+2)
1948	Ben Hogan	United States	Riviera Country Club	Pacific Palisades, California	276 (-8)
1947	Lew Worsham	United States	St. Louis Country Club	Saint Louis, Missouri	282 (-2)PO
1946	Lloyd Mangrum	United States	Canterbury Golf Club	Beachwood, Ohio	284 (-4)PO
1942-1945: Cancelled due to World War II
1941	Craig Wood	United States	Colonial Country Club	Fort Worth, Texas	284
1940	Lawson Little	United States	Canterbury Golf Club	Beachwood, Ohio	287
1939	Byron Nelson	United States	Philadelphia Country Club	Gladwyne, Pennsylvania	284
1938	Ralph Guldahl	United States	Cherry Hills Country Club	Cherry Hills Village, Colorado	284
1937	Ralph Guldahl	United States	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Hills, Michigan	281
1936	Tony Manero	United States	Baltusrol Golf Club, Upper Course	Springfield, New Jersey	282
1935	Sam Parks, Jr	United States	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	299
1934	Olin Dutra	United States	Merion Golf Club, East Course	Ardmore, Pennsylvania	293
1933	Johnny Goodman (Am)	United States	North Shore Country Club	Glenview, Illinois	287
1932	Gene Sarazen	United States	Fresh Meadow Country Club	Great Neck, New York	286
1931	Billy Burke	United States	Inverness Club	Toledo, Ohio	292
1930	Bobby Jones (Am)	United States	Interlachen Country Club	Edina, Minnesota	287
1929	Bobby Jones (Am)	United States	Winged Foot Golf Club, West Course	Mamaroneck, New York	294
1928	Johnny Farrell	United States	Olympia Fields Country Club	Olympia Fields, Illinois	294
1927	Tommy Armour	United States^	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	301
1926	Bobby Jones (Am)	United States	Scioto Country Club	Columbus, Ohio	293
1925	Willie Macfarlane	Scotland^	Worcester Country Club	Worcester, Massachusetts	291
1924	Cyril Walker	England^	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Hills, Michigan	297
1923	Bobby Jones (Am)	United States	Inwood Country Club	Inwood, New York	296
1922	Gene Sarazen	United States	Skokie Country Club	Glencoe, Illinois	288
1921	Jim Barnes	United States^	Columbia Country Club	Chevy Chase, Maryland	289
1920	Ted Ray	England^	Inverness Club	Toledo, Ohio	295
1919	Walter Hagen	United States	Brae Burn Country Club, Main Course	West Newton, Massachusetts	301
1917-1918: Cancelled due to World War I
1916	Chick Evans (Am)	United States	The Minikahda Club	Minneapolis, Minnesota	286
1915	Jerome Travers (Am)	United States	Baltusrol Golf Club	Springfield, New Jersey	297
1914	Walter Hagen	United States	Midlothian Country Club	Midlothian, Illinois	290
1913	Francis Ouimet (Am)	United States	The Country Club	Brookline, Massachusetts	304
1912	John McDermott	United States	Country Club of Buffalo	Buffalo, New York	294
1911	John McDermott	United States	Chicago Golf Club	Wheaton, Illinois	307
1910	Alex Smith	Scotland^	Philadelphia Cricket Club, St. Martin's Course	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	298
1909	George Sargent	England^	Englewood Golf Club	Englewood, New Jersey	290
1908	Fred McLeod	Scotland^	Myopia Hunt Club	South Hamilton, Massachusetts	322
1907	Alec Ross	Scotland^	Philadelphia Cricket Club, St. Martin's Course	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	302
1906	Alex Smith	Scotland^	Onwentsia Club	Lake Forest, Illinois	295
1905	Willie Anderson	Scotland^	Myopia Hunt Club	South Hamilton, Massachusetts	314
1904	Willie Anderson	Scotland^	Glen View Club	Golf, Illinois	303
1903	Willie Anderson	Scotland^	Baltusrol Golf Club	Springfield, New Jersey	307
1902	Laurie Auchterlonie	Scotland^	Garden City Golf Club	Garden City, New York	307
1901	Willie Anderson	Scotland^	Myopia Hunt Club	South Hamilton, Massachusetts	331
1900	Harry Vardon	England^	Chicago Golf Club	Wheaton, Illinois	313
1899	Willie Smith	Scotland^	Baltimore Country Club, East Course	Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland	315
1898	Fred Herd	Scotland^	Myopia Hunt Club	South Hamilton, Massachusetts	328
1897	Joe Lloyd	England^	Chicago Golf Club	Wheaton, Illinois	162
1896	James Foulis	Scotland^	Shinnecock Hills Golf Club	Shinnecock Hills, New York	152
1895	Horace Rawlins	England^	Newport Country Club	Newport, Rhode Island	173

• ^PO - Won in Playoff
• Am = Amateur

Playoff losers:

1. ^ Rocco Mediate
2. ^ Mark Brooks
3. ^ Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie
4. ^ Scott Simpson
5. ^ Mike Donald
6. ^ Nick Faldo
7. ^ Greg Norman
8. ^ John Mahaffey
9. ^ Jack Nicklaus
10. ^ Arnold Palmer
11. ^ Kel Nagle
12. ^ Jacky Cupit and Arnold Palmer
13. ^ Arnold Palmer
14. ^ Cary Middlecoff
15. ^ Ben Hogan
16. ^ Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio
17. ^ Sam Snead
18. ^ Vic Ghezzi and Byron Nelson
19. ^ Gene Sarazen
20. ^ Craig Wood and Denny Shute
21. ^ George Von Elm
22. ^ Al Espinosa
23. ^ Bobby Jones
24. ^ Harry Cooper
25. ^ Bobby Jones
26. ^ Bobby Cruickshank
27. ^ Mike Brady
28. ^ Harry Vardon and Ted Ray
29. ^ Mike Brady and George Simpson
30. ^ John McDermott and Macdonald Smith
31. ^ Willie Smith
32. ^ David Brown
33. ^ Alex Smith

^ Many early U.S. Opens were won by English and Scottish golfers who learned the game in their own country and moved to America as adults to take up positions as club professionals. Their original countries are shown unless they are known to have become U.S. citizens before their victories, as is the case with English born and raised Jim Barnes and Scottish born and raised Tommy Armour. Harry Vardon and Ted Ray made only short term visits to the U.S. to play tournament golf.

Multiple winners

The following golfers have won the U.S. Open more than once through 2008.

4 wins:

• Willie Anderson: 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905
• Bobby Jones: 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930
• Ben Hogan: 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953
• Jack Nicklaus: 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980

3 wins:

• Hale Irwin: 1974, 1979, 1990
• Tiger Woods: 2000, 2002, 2008

2 wins:

• Alex Smith: 1906, 1910
• John J. McDermott: 1911, 1912
• Walter Hagen: 1914, 1919
• Gene Sarazen: 1922, 1932
• Ralph Guldahl: 1937, 1938
• Cary Middlecoff: 1949, 1956
• Julius Boros: 1952, 1963
• Billy Casper: 1959, 1966
• Lee Trevino: 1968, 1971
• Andy North: 1978, 1985
• Curtis Strange: 1988, 1989
• Ernie Els: 1994, 1997
• Lee Janzen: 1993, 1998
• Payne Stewart: 1991, 1999
• Retief Goosen: 2001, 2004

National summary

Rank	Nation	Wins
1	United States	79
2	Scotland	13
3	England	7
4	South Africa	5
5	Australia	2
T6	Argentina	1
	New Zealand	1

Records

• Oldest champion: Hale Irwin in 1990 at 45 years, 15 days.
• Youngest champion: John McDermott in 1911 at 19 years, 315 days.
• Oldest player to make the cut: Sam Snead in 1973 at 61 years old. He tied for 29th place.
• Most consecutive victories: 3 by Willie Anderson 1903-1905.
• Most consecutive opens started: 44 by Jack Nicklaus from 1957 to 2000.
• Largest margin of victory: 15 strokes by Tiger Woods, 2000. This is the all-time record for all majors.
• Lowest score for 72 holes: 272 – Jack Nicklaus (63-71-70-68), 1980; Lee Janzen (67-67-69-69), in 1993; Tiger Woods (65-69-71-67), 2000; Jim Furyk (67-66-67-72), 2003.
• Most strokes under par for 72 holes: 12 under (272) by Tiger Woods, 2000.
• Lowest score for 18 holes: 63 – Johnny Miller, 4th round, 1973; Jack Nicklaus, 1st, 1980; Tom Weiskopf, 1st, 1980; Vijay Singh, 2nd, 2003.
• Most frequent venues:
  • 8 Opens: Oakmont Country Club - 1927, 1935, 1953, 1962, 1973, 1983, 1994, and 2007.
  • 7 Opens: Baltusrol Golf Club - 1903, 1915, 1936, 1954, 1967, 1980 and 1993.

There is an extensive records section on the official site here.

Future sites

• 2009 - Bethpage State Park, Black Course ( Farmingdale, New York - June 18-21)
• 2010 - Pebble Beach Golf Links ( Pebble Beach, California)
• 2011 - Congressional Country Club, Blue Course ( Bethesda, Maryland)
• 2012 - The Olympic Club, Lake Course ( Daly City, California)
• 2013 - Merion Golf Club, East Course ( Ardmore, Pennsylvania)
• 2014 - Pinehurst Resort, Course #2 ( Pinehurst, North Carolina)
• 2015 - Chambers Bay ( University Place, Washington)