The astounding William Lawson Little, Jr. was born on this date in 1910 in Newport. A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, he won the U.S. Amateur and (British) Amateur Championship in 1934 and 1935, and later in 1940 won the U.S. Open. His tendency to use as many as 25 or more clubs in his bag was one of the reasons the USGA limited the number of clubs a golfer could have in a set to 14.
On this day in 2009, Lucas Glover won the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black Golf Course at four under par, two ahead of Ricky Barnes, Phil Mickelson and David Duval. Rain forced having a Monday finish.
On this date in 1971, Lee Trevino took down Jack Nicklaus in a playoff at Merion Golf Club, 68-71, to win his second U.S. Open. Trevino memorably goofed around with Nicklaus with a rubber snake he had in his golf bag on the first tee and many thought Trevino’s intention was to psyche out Jack before the playoff began. Lee always maintained it was an innocent goof about a toy snake that had made its way into his bag and it had been his great play that had carried him through.
On June 16, 2019, the golf world watched Kansan Gary Woodland hit a tremendous shot on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach in the final round of the U.S. Open en route to winning by two shots to spoil Brooks Koepka’s attempt for a record-tying third straight Open victory.. On this date in 1982, Missouri/Kansas native Tom Watson hit a tremendous shot on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach, for a birdie, en route to winning the U.S. Open and spoil Jack Nicklaus’ effort at winning a record fifth U.S. Open.
On this date in 1955, one of the biggest upsets in golf history took place when Jack Fleck defeated Ben Hogan in a playoff at the U.S. Open held on the Olympic Club Lake Course. Fleck shot 69 to Hogan’s 72, cementing his name in golf lore for defeating the mighty Hogan.
One of the special days in all of golf history took place on this day in 1960 when Arnold Palmer played his second 18 of the day, the final round, in 65 to overcome a seven-shot deficit and win his only U.S. Open, at Cherry Hills, in Colorado. View the “this day in golf history” home page photo and you’ll see the first hole at Cherry Hills from that Open, taken one day before Palmer’s final round heroics when he drove the first green and made birdie. He is in this photo, in orange shirt, alongside Cary Middlecoff, watching Jack Fleck tee off.
Two iconic U.S. Open championships held at Oakmont Country Club ended on this date. One was the 1962 event that ended in a playoff between Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, won by Jack, 71-74. The second was in 1973 when Johnny Miller shot a phenomenal final-round 63 to win by one over John Schlee. Nicklaus and Palmer tied for fourth in that one.
Lee Trevino won his first U.S. Open on this date in 1968 on the East Course at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. He tied the tournament scoring record and finished four shots ahead of second-place Jack Nicklaus. It was also the first PGA Tour win for Trevino, then 28.
With the drama that few can match, Jack Nicklaus won his fourth U.S. Open on this date in 1980, holding off Japan’s Isao Aoki at Baltusrol in Springfield, New Jersey. Nicklaus shot 63 in the first round then had to stay sharp the rest of the way with Aoki right on his heels all the way to the end, finishing second by two shots.
On this date in 1952, Julius Boros won his first U.S. Open at Northwood Golf Club in Dallas. He would win again in 1963 and win the PGA in 1968.
On this date in 1953, Ben Hogan won his fourth U.S. Open title, at Oakmont, to tie for the most ever with Bobby Jones and Willie Anderson. It was an incredible performance where he was five under par for 72 holes and won by six shots over Sam Snead.
On this date in 1939, Byron Nelson won the 43rd U.S. Open at Philadelphia Country Club in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, after two playoff rounds against Craig Wood and Denny Shute.
On this date in 1950, Ben Hogan memorably won the U.S. Open at Merion in a playoff with Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio after they finished four rounds with scores of 287. Hogan shot 69 in the playoff to Mangrum’s 73 and Fazio’s 75. The victory culminated Hogan’s comeback from a near fatal auto accident in 1949.
Johnny Goodman won the U.S.. Open on this date in 1933 at one under par at North Shore Country Club in Illinois, making him the last amateur to win the championship and any of the four majors.
Lawson Little won the U.S. Open on this date in 1940 in a playoff with sentimental favorite Gene Sarazen at Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland. Little shot 70 in the playoff to Sarazen’s 73.
One of the many surprise winners of the U.S. Open in its history did so on this date in 1935. Sam Parks Jr., an area native, won at Oakmont with a score of 299, 11 over par.
The Curtis Cup, a match between American and Great Britain & Ireland women amateurs, ended on this date in the past. In 1952, at Muirfield in Scotland, GB&I came out on top, 5-4. In 1980, at St. Pierre Golf & Country Club in Wales, it was the Americans emerging on top, 13-5. In that playing, the U.S. featured stars Patty Sheehan and Carol Semple.
On this date in 1936, Tony Manero won the U.S. Open at Baltusrol in New Jersey. He was the surprise winner, by two shots over Harry Cooper. The name Manero is known in Connecticut for the excellent restaurant that existed for 62 years in Greenwich and which closed in 2006. Tony Manero was a star attraction at the restaurant but it was owned by his nephew Nick. Tony Manero died at age 84 in 1989.
Willie Macfarlane won the 1925 U.S. Open on this date at Worcester, Massachusetts, in a championship where Bobby Jones’ sportsmanship was the legacy story. In Round 1, Jones called a penalty on himself that ended up by the final round being the difference from an outright victory and he and Macfarlane tying after regulation. They played a playoff that went 36 holes, with Macfarlane winning by one shot, on the final hole when Jones bogeyed. Because of the format the two played six rounds in three days.
The final day of the first Ryder Cup was held on this date in 1927. The venue was Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts, and the U.S. won the singles session 6.5 to 1.5 for a final tally of 9.5 to 2.5. Walter Hagen was the American captain and Ted Ray led the Great Britain team. Players who went 2-0 for the Americans were Hagen, Johnny Golden, Johnny Farrell, and Al Watrous.