US Open Golf Tournament Facts

A free article on Sports and Recreation

By: Mick Euan Tait

30 years after the start of The Open, the US Open was first played in 1895, making it the second oldest of the modern day golf majors. Since 1895, the original golf majors were The Open, The Amateur Championship, The US Open, and The US Amateur. It wasn't until 1960, when Arnold Palmer commented that he could win the Grand Slam, after he had won The Masters and The US Open, if he could manage to win The Open and The PGA, that the modern day golf majors were established.

The US Open had a difficult start as it was played for the first time during the same week and on the same course as The US Amateur Championship. The course was the Newport Golf and Country Club, Rhode Island which was a 9-hole course. The event consisted of 4 rounds of the 9-holes played on the same day and the winner was Englishman, Horace Rawlins. There were only 10 professionals and one amateur playing each other for a prize total of $335.

The format of the U.S. Open has changed a number of times over the years. The USGA extended the championship to 72 holes in 1898, with 36 holes played each of two days. In 1926, the format was 18 holes played each of two days, followed by 36 holes on the third day. In 1965, the present format of four 18-hole daily rounds was implemented for the first time.

The US Open's popularity really took off after spectator tickets were sold for the first time in 1922. This almost coincided with the amazing career of an amateur golfer from Georgia, Bobby Jones who won in 1923, 1926, 1929, and 1930. The second big rise in popularity was in 1954 when the US Open was televised for the first time on national television. But it wasn't until 1977 that all 18-holes of the final two rounds had live coverage and 1982 that the first two rounds were broadcast live.

The British dominated The US Open from its beginnings up to 1910, with Scotsmen winning 12 times in the first 15 years. One of those Scotsmen was Willie Anderson who won the US Open four times at the beginning of the Century. Only three other players have won the event four times: Bobby Jones in the 20's with his last win in 1930, the year he won the Grand Slam; Ben Hogan in the late 40's, early 50's; and Jack Nicklaus between 1962 and 1980.

With Tiger Woods third victory at the 2008 US Open, it can only be a matter of time before he joins the illustrious golfers with four wins, and who knows, maybe he will go into the golfing history books with 5 wins or more. Did you know that a European has not won the event since 1970, when Tony Jacklin from England won? Another Englishman, Lee Westwood, had a chance in the 2008 US Open but missed a 15 foot birdie putt on the last hole.

Did you know that only 5 players have won the US Open plus The Open, The Masters, and The PGA? Nobody has done it in the same year, a Grand Slam, but some have won three of them in one year. The 5 players are Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.

Since 1911 Americans have largely dominated the event, winning the event 78 times. South Africans have had the best record since the end of the British domination, with 5 wins. Other nations that have had a win or two since 1911 are Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, England, and Scotland. As a Scotsman, I have to ask myself what has happened to Scottish golf since 1910. The last Scotsman to win the US Open was Willie MacFarlane in 1925 and the last one to win a major on American soil was Sandy Lyle at The Masters in 1988.

Information about the Author:

Mick Euan Tait is a golfer, golf fan, and golf writer. Check out his website for more interesting facts about golf tournaments.
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