Bobby Jones made history on this date in 1929 at Winged Foot. He tied Al Espinosa after 72 holes in the U.S. Open, despite a final-round 79, and the two played a 36-hole playoff on Sunday, June 30, but 18 holes was enough to show the better player. Jones shot 72-69-141 to Espinosa's 84-80-164 to win his third National Open. And on this date in 1916, Charles (Chick) Evans won the U.S. Open at the Minikahda Golf Club, two shots ahead of Jock Hutchison. Evans also won the U.S. Amateur in 1916, making him the first amateur to win both titles in the same year.
On this date in 1957, Jackie Pung had shot six-over 298 to apparently win the U.S. Women’s Open at Winged Foot East but because she had signed an incorrect scorecard, she was disqualified and Betsy Rawls, at 299, was declared the winner by six shots over Patty Berg. Hawaiian legend Pung, who died in March 2017 at age 95, had an incredible career as a golf champion and ambassador but will foremost be known for this scoring mistake. At the end of play, everyone thought Pung had beaten Rawls by a shot. But the wrong score was recorded on Pung's scorecard in the final round on the fourth hole by her fellow competitor, Betty Jameson, who had put down a 5 instead of the 6 she really had. The rules called for Pung to be disqualified for turning in a lower score on the fourth hole than she actually shot, and Rawls was declared the winner.
The recently completed Travelers Championship began its life in 1952 as the Insurance City Open, a fitting name for a tournament held near insurance capitol Hartford. On this date in 1956, Arnold Palmer shot a 66 at Wethersfield Country Club to take control of the tournament and never let go, adding 69–68–71 for 274. That score tied Ted Kroll, the inaugural champion, after 72 holes, and Arnie ended up winning a two-hole, sudden-death playoff and top prize of $4,000. Also, on this date in 1953, Betsy Rawls won the U.S. Women’s Open at the Country Club of Rochester, taking an 18-hole playoff by six shots over runner-up Jackie Pung, 71-77.
This date is loaded with Walter Hagen moments. In 1924, he won his second of four Open Championships, by one stroke over Ernest Whitcombe at Royal Liverpool. In 1931, Hagen captained the U.S. team to a 9-3 victory in the Ryder Cup at Scioto Country Club, for a second captain win. And in 1933 he was captain at Southport when the Americans lost by a 6.5 to 5.5 count. Also, Scotland's Willie Anderson was the 1901 U.S. Open champion and was tied for fifth in 1902, but soon after he became a National Open legend. On this date in 1903, Anderson finished in a tie for first and then on the next day won the first of three in a row, defeating David Brown in an 18-hole playoff, 82-84. Anderson is still the lone golfer to have won three in a row.
David Frost of South Africa was never too far from Greg Norman in the 1994 Canon Greater Hartford Open. After two rounds, Frost was one ahead. They both shot 66 in Round 3 to stay one stroke apart, and when they matched 69s on this date in ’94, Frost came out ahead for his ninth tour victory. Also, on this date in 1911, John McDermott made history by becoming the first American-born champion of the U.S. Open when he defeated George Simpson and Mike Brady in a playoff at Chicago Golf Club.
The greatest women's golfer of all-time, Mickey Wright, won her 82nd and final LPGA Tour event on this date in 1973, and it was a key one: The Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle, now known as the Chevron Championship. At the time, the Dinah Shore wasn't considered a major; that status would come in 1983.
Greg Norman led by three shots entering the final round after shooting 67-64-65 and barely hung on to win in Hartford after a 71 on this date in 1995. Dave Stockton Jr., Grant Waite and Kirk Triplett were two shots back. Also, the 61st Open Championship ended on this date in 1926 with Bobby Jones winning his first title, at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, two strokes ahead of Al Watrous.
Marc Leishman blitzed the TPC River Highlands course in 62 on this date in 2012, and he won by a shot over Bubba Watson and Charley Hoffman. It was the first PGA Tour victory for the Australian. Also on this date, four-time Travelers Championship winner Billy Casper was born in 1931. And the 50th Open Championship ended on this date in 1910 with James Braid winning for his fifth and final time, by four strokes over Sandy Herd at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.
Popular Ken Duke won a playoff with Chris Stroud in the 2013 Travelers and earned the nearly $1.1 million payday. A disciple of legendary teacher Bob Toski, Duke shot 65-66 on the weekend to finish at 12 under par. And one of Arnold Palmer’s rough days in golf took place on this date in 1963. He lost the second of three U.S. Open playoffs in his career. Julius Boros won at The Country Club in Massachusetts, shooting 70. Jacky Cupit was second with 73 and Arnold third with 76.
Kevin Streelman made one of the greatest charges on the weekend in Travelers ournament history, putting together back-to-back 64s to edge out Sergio Garcia and K.J. Choi by one shot in 2014. And the rain-plagued 2009 U.S. Open ended on this date at Bethpage State Park Black Course on Long Island, with Lucas Glover winning his only major to date by two shots over Phil Mickelson, Ricky Barnes and David Duval.
Davis Love III shot a 64 to tie for the second-round lead in the 2002 Canon Greater Hartford Open with Jonathan Kaye and Briny Baird. The eventual winner, Phil Mickelson, was four behind but would shoot 66-64 on the weekend to win. And one of golf history’s milestones took place on this date in 1965 when South African Gary Player defeated Australian star Kel Nagle, 71-74, in a playoff at Bellerive Country Club west of St. Louis to win the U.S. Open. The victory completed the career Grand Slam for Player at age 29. He had led by two shots after 54 holes over Frank Beard and Nagle, but Nagle shot 69 to Player’s 71 to force the playoff. Player led by three shots after nine holes of the playoff and kept that advantage to the end, winning 71-74.
On this date in 2013, Charley Hoffman shot an incredible nine-under-par 61 in the first round of The Travelers, but it was just good enough for a one-shot lead. Alas, Charley couldn't keep up such strong play and in the end Ken Duke was the winner in a playoff with Chris Stroud. And of the many times the U.S. Open ended on this date, here are some of the highly memorable winners: Alex Smith winning a playoff in 1910 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club; Tom Watson pitching in on 17 in 1982 at Pebble Beach; Ken Venturi surviving searing heat at Congressional in 1964; Arnold Palmer losing a playoff to Billy Casper in 1966 at the Olympic Club; Larry Nelson making a bomb at 16 in 1983 at Oakmont to win over Watson on a Monday; Curtis Strange winning a playoff in 1988 at The Country Club over Nick Faldo; Lee Janzen shooting sub-70 all week at Baltusrol in 1993; Ernie Els winning a playoff in 1994 at Oakmont; Retief Goosen taking the title in 2004 at Shinnecock Hills; Graeme McDowell surviving over Gregory Havret at Pebble Beach in 2010. Elsewhere, Bobby Jones also won the 1930 Open Championship on this date at Royal Liverpool.
One of golf history’s unfathomable results took place on this date in 1955 when major underdog Jack Fleck defeated Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff by three shots, at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, thereby denying Hogan of a record fifth U.S. Open victory. Fleck beat Hogan in a playoff, 69-72, on the Olympic Lake Course. Fleck played well at the end of regulation to tie Hogan, who had finished ahead of him and seemed secure as the champion. He was so sure, in fact, he gave the USGA's Joe Dey his golf ball after finishing his round and said it was meant to go in the USGA's museum at Golf House.
Today’s date in golf is memorable in the sport for what happened on the day, not known by the date itself. It was 60 years ago that Arnold Palmer won his only U.S. Open, at Cherry Hills Country Club, knocking off a seven-shot deficit to Mike Souchak with a round to go by shooting a 65 and winning a generational battle that included Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus. Arnie boldly drove the green on the first hole, made birdie, and the charge was on, ending in a two-stroke victory over amateur Nicklaus. You can see the view from behind that first hole on the home page; it's the photo used for This Day in Golf History. It was Arnold’s 19th PGA Tour victory and third overall major. He would be in contention for many more U.S. Open titles but never win again, losing three playoffs. The upside from 1960 was his elevation to a global golf superstar.
Of the many U.S. Opens that ended on this date, two happened in back to back years 1961 and 1962. The big one came in 1962 in the legendary playoff between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus at Oakmont, with Nicklaus winning his first major by three shots as a rookie. In 1961, Gene Littler won his only pro major at Oakland Hills. One of the sweetest swingers of a golf club, Littler shot 72-68 in the final two rounds and beat Bob Goalby and Doug Sanders by one stroke. A San Diego native known for his love of classic cars and surviving cancer, Littler had nearly won the 1954 U.S. Open at Baltusrol, the year after he had won the U.S. Amateur. Known as Gene the Machine, he was enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
The U.S. Open is once again being held in New York state this week. On this date in 1974 the notorious U.S. Open at Winged Foot in Westchester County, called a “massacre” because of the 7-over-par winning score, came to a merciful halt with Hale Irwin winning his first of three U.S. Opens by two shots over Forrest Fezler. The 36-hole cut came at 13 over par. Also, every major there are several players among those who are considered “the best player to not win a major” and that will happen this week at Shinnecock Hills. A player who went down in history as one of the greatest to never win a major, Harry Cooper, was involved in today’s U.S. Open moment. He was in good shape to win the 1927 championship at Oakmont but shot 77 in the final round on June 16 and then lost the next day to Tommy Armour, 76-79, in a playoff.
In U.S. Open history, June 15 was the start of something good for one player and another sad day for another. In 1901, Willie Anderson and Alex Smith finished in a tie at Myopia Hunt Club in Hamilton, Mass., and two days later had a playoff, won by Anderson by a stroke. He won three in a row in 1903-1905 and is one of four men to win the Open four times. In 1947 at St. Louis Country Club, Sam Snead, never a winner of the Open, had one of his close calls, losing a playoff to Lew Worsham, 69-70. The final hole featured the infamous delayed putt by Snead. The players were tied, with short par putts. Snead was ready to putt a 30-incher when Worsham stopped him to say he felt it was his honor. It was, in fact, Snead’s honor but he was angry at having been stopped and missed the putt. Worsham made his 29-incher to win.
On this date in 1959, Billy Casper won the U.S. Open at Winged Foot for his first of two National Opens. He finished a shot ahead of Bob Rosburg. Also, Tommy Bolt was a player who many felt was in the top echelon of all-time greatest ball-strikers. That he didn’t win more big events could likely be attributed to his infamous raging demeanor on the course. But the 1958 U.S. Open was the ultimate showcase of Bolt’s talent. He played steadily on a demanding Southern Hills course, shooting 71-71-69-72-283 and winning by four over Gary Player, the South African newly arrived on the major golf stage.
A few legendary figures in golf won majors on this date. In 1895, J.H. Taylor won a second straight Open Championship, this at St. Andrews, beating Sandy Herd by four shots. The following year, Taylor had a third straight title halted by Harry Vardon, who won at Muirfield in a 36-hole playoff. And in 1953, Ben Hogan won the U.S. Open by six shots over Sam Snead at Oakmont, taking the title for a record-tying fourth time. Also, Hogan, who had one of the greatest records in the U.S. Open, had what some strong supporters feel was a fifth U.S. Open at the Hale America National Open in 1942, which the USGA doesn't count. During the next seven years after his 1953 victory, Hogan had finishes of 7th, 2nd, 2nd, 10th, 8th and 9th, but never did win the National Open again.
One of the U.S. Open championships that concluded on this date was Byron Nelson’s 36-hole playoff victory over Craig Wood and Denny Shute at Philadelphia Cricket Club. Another U.S. Open, in 1959, was when Billy Casper tied for the best score of the day, a two-under-par 68, to take the second-round lead at Winged Foot in the U.S. Open.