The first U.S. Open was played on October 4, 1895, on a nine-hole course at the Newport Country Club 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 Horace Rawlins, a 21-year-old Englishman, who had arrived in the U.S. earlier that year to take up a position at the host club.
History of the US Open
The first U.S. Open was played on October 4, 1895, on a nine-hole course at the Newport Country Club 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 Horace Rawlins, a 21-year-old Englishman, who had arrived in the U.S. earlier 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 British players until 16 years later in 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.
Since 1950, players from only eight countries other than the United States have won the championship (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, England, Northern Ireland, Germany and Spain). Two Australians have lifted the trophy, David Graham (1981) and Geoff Ogilvy (2006) with Jason Day and Greg Norman being two-time runner ups.
U.S. Open play is characterised by tight scoring at or around par by the leaders, with the winner usually emerging at around even par, and there have been many over-par wins (in part because par is usually set at 70, except for the very longest courses). Normally, an Open course is quite long and will have a high cut of primary rough, undulating greens, pinched fairways and two or three holes that are short par fives under regular play, used as long par fours during the tournament.
This year is no different, the 122nd US Open returns to The Country Club in Brookline Massachusetts. It has been 34 years since The Country Club last hosted a U.S. Open, with Curtis Strange holding off Nick Faldo in a playoff in 1988.
Top 3 US Open Moments
3. Arnold Palmer's surge in 1960
Arnold Palmer was seven shots behind Mike Souchak after 54 holes and looked out of the tournament at that stage in 1960. But the King surged on the final day, starting with birdies on the first two holes. Palmer shot a scintillating score of 65 at Cherry Hills Country Club to win the tournament and secure his first and only US Open title.
2. Payne Stewart's win in 1999
Mickelson was the unfortunate player to be on the end of a superb Payne Stewart win on the final hole at Pinehurst in 1999. Stewart rolled in a fantastic putt to secure his third major title. Stewart's win will always be remembered for his iconic celebration on the final green but also because just a few months later, he tragically died in an aeroplane accident.
1. Tiger's 15-shot romp in 2000
Woods defied belief and imagination in 2000 at Pebble Beach when he destroyed the field by 15 shots. In 1997, he won The Masters by 12 shots, so it seemed impossible for him to raise the standard even further. He led by six shots after 36 holes and then by 10 shots with one round remaining. Woods finished his tournament with a final-round 67 to complete a dominant display. Who will take out the 2022 US Open? Don’t forget to join our Majors tipping competition for your chance to win over $5000 worth of prizes, including a TaylorMade Stealth driver and a year’s supply of TP5x balls just for entering!
Who will take out the 2022 US Open? Don’t forget to join our Majors tipping competition for your chance to win over $5000 worth of prizes, including a TaylorMade Stealth driver and a year’s supply of TP5x balls just for entering!.
