Even though she shot an 80 in the second round, Mickey Wright won the 1961 U.S. Women’s Open on this date at Baltusrol Golf Cllub for her third National Open title.
In 1916, Chick Evans became the first golfer to win the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open in the same year. It was on this date that he won the U.S. Open, at Minikahda Golf Club, leading start to finish and winning over Jock Hutchison by a pair of shots.
On this date in 1980, the inaugural U.S. Senior Open was finished on Winged Foot Golf Club’s East Course with Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina winning by four over amateur legend Bill Campbell.
The greatest women’s player of all time, Mickey Wright, won her first of four U.S. Opens on this date in 1958 at Forest Lake Country Club . She was six shots ahead of Louise Suggs.
Walter Hagen won the 1924 Open Championship on this date at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. It was his second Open victory.
The first American to win the U.S. Open broke through on this date in 1911 at the Chicago Golf Club. John McDermott, just 19 years old, shot 80 to win a playoff with Mike Brady (82) and George Simpson (85).
Continuing our look at U.S. Open history, on this date in 1909 the champion at Englewood Golf Club in New Jersey was England’s George Sargent, who had a two-over score of 290 to se a record total in the 15th playing. Runner-up by four was American Tom McNamara.
On this date in 1928 at Olympia Fields Country Club, Johnny Farrell defeated Bobby Jones by a shot to win a 36-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open.
A pair of U.S. Open playoffs ended on this date. In 1963, Julius Boros defeated Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, and in 1975, John Mahaffey lost to Lou Graham at Medinah Country Club near Chicago.
One of Phil Mickelson’s record six runner-up U.S. Open finishes took place on this date in 2009 when he, Ricky Barnes and David Duval placed two strokes behind Lucas Glover at Bethpage State Park Black Course on Long Island.
On this date in 1965, Gary Player of South Africa defeated Australia’s Kel Nagle in an 18-hole playoff at Bellerive to win an 18-hole U.S. Open playoff and at age 29 complete the career Grand Slam.
Tom Watson had good and bad results on this date in the U.S. Open in back-to-back years. In 1982 at Pebble Beach, he chipped in on No. 17 for a birdie and birdied the final hole as well to beat Jack Nicklaus by two shots. But in 1983, in a rain-delayed finish, Larry Nelson edged him by one shot due to holing a 40-foot putt on No. 16 at Oakmont.
One of the most shocking results in major history took place on this date in 1955 when Jack Fleck upset Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff at the Olympic Club to win by three shots. It would have been Hogan’s fifth U.S. Open, a record, but instead was Fleck’s only major.
One of the most pivotal U.S. Opens concluded on this day in 1960 when Arnold Palmer shot a final-round 65 to come back from seven shots behind and beat amateur Jack Nicklaus by two at Cherry Hills in Denver. In a generational classic, Ben Hogan had a chance for a fifth title but faltered in the final holes and ended four strokes back. The “this day in golf” photo on the home page shows Palmer with Cary Middlecoff on the first tee at Cherry Hills watching Jack Fleck tee off in the second round.
Here in mid-June, we encounter many dates on which the U.S. Open concluded. Of several, two in back-to-back years were in 1961 when Gene Littler won his only major and in 1962, when the playoff between Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer ended in a Nicklaus victory for his first major, in his rookie season.
Today’s date in 1974 is one that will live in golf infamy. Hale Irwin won the U.S. Open Championship with a score of seven over par in the famous Massacre at Winged Foot that took down Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson, among others. It was Irwin’s first of three U.S. Open victories, this one by two over runner-up Forrest Fezler.
On this date in 1947, Sam Snead lost an 18-hole playoff to Lew Worsham in the U.S. Open at St. Louis Country Club, 69-70. An infamous moment took place on the final hole when both players had short putts for par to extend the playoff. After Snead ran his first putt up close, he thought he was out and was set to go right into his routine and putt. But Worsham protested he thought he might be out. But after a measurement, it was determined Snead indeed did have the honor. But perturbed at the delay, he missed and Worsham made his putt and won.
On this date in 1959, Bill Casper won the U.S. Open for the first time, at Winged Foot Golf Club, edging Bob Rosburg by one shot.
On this date in 1953, Ben Hogan won a fourth U.S. Open title and his second of three majors for the year at Oakmont Country Club, a six-shot victory over Sam Snead.
Ben Hogan won his first of four U.S. Opens on this date in 1948, shooting 68-69 in the final two rounds at Riviera Country Club to beat Jimmy Demaret by two shots.