Greg Norman led by three shots entering the final round on this date in the 1995 Travelers. That came after shooting 67-64-65. He then hung on to win after a 71. 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 Open 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. Regarding a major, 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 Travelers playoff with Chris Stroud in the 2013 tournament 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. Also today, 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 Championship tournament history, putting together back-to-back 64s to edge out Sergio Garcia and K.J. Choi by one shot in 2014. Elsewhere on this date, 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 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.

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. Also, 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 Lake Course in San Francisco, thereby denying Hogan of a record fifth U.S. Open victory. The scores were 69-72. Fleck was the last obstacle standing in Hogan’s way for victory and he played steady 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.

Rory McIlroy almost made a comeback on Sunday to win the U.S. Open at Pinehurst but couldn’t hang onto the lead. Today's date in Open history makes note of a legendary player 7 shots back entering the final round of the U.S. Open on June 18, 1960. Arnold Palmer made his famous charge to victory with a 65, having started the final round 7 shots back of the leader Mike Souchak. Arnie boldly drove the green on the first hole, made birdie, and the charge was on, ending in a two-stroke victory over amateur Jack 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.

Of the many U.S. Opens that ended on this date, two happened in back-to-back years 1961 and 1962. In 1961, Gene Littler won his only pro major at Oakland Hills, and in 1962, the legendary playoff between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus was played on this day at Oakmont, with Nicklaus winning his first major by three shots as a rookie. Littler, one of the sweetest swingers of a golf club, had his day in the sun on June 17, 1961. He had 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 beating 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.

There are a few golfers chasing down their first major today at the U.S..Open at Pinehurst No. 2. 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. Also on this date in 1974 the notorious U.S. Open at Winged Foot, 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.

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 he was away. 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. 

Tommy Bolt was a player who many felt was in the top echelon of all-time greatest shotmakers. That he didn’t win more big events could likely be attributed to his raging demeanor on the course at times. But the 1958 U.S. Open was the ultimate Bolt showcase of his 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. The USGA is holding the 124th U.S. Open this week in Pinehurst on the No. 2 Course. The championship has been held many times at another venerable layout, Winged Foot Golf Club, including on this date in 1959, when Billy Casper won for his first of two National Opens. He finished a shot ahead of Bob Rosburg.

Ben Hogan has one of the greatest records in the U.S. Open, most impressively tied for the most victories with four. That discounts the Hale America National Open in 1942, which the USGA doesn't include. Hogan's fourth victory came on June 13, 1953, when he won by six over Sam Snead at Oakmont. During the next seven years, Hogan had finishes of 7th, 2nd, 2nd, 10th, 8th and 9th, but never did win the National Open again. A couple other 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.

On June 11, 1938, Ralph Guldahl became the fourth person to win back-to-back U.S. Opens, following Willie Anderson, John McDermott and Bobby Jones to that point. Guldahl shot a 69 at Cherry Hills to finish six shots ahead of Dick Metz. In 1937 he had finished two shots ahead of Sam Snead at Oakland Hills. 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.

On June 11, 1938, Ralph Guldahl became the fourth person to win back-to-back U.S. Opens, following Willie Anderson, John McDermott and Bobby Jones to that point. Guldahl shot a 69 at Cherry Hills to finish six shots ahead of Dick Metz. In 1937 he had finished two shots ahead of Sam Snead at Oakland Hills. Also, a pair of Open Championships ended on this date, with the champion on each occasion winning for the fourth time. In 1903 at Prestwick, Harry Vardon won by six shots over his younger brother Tom. And in 1909, J.H. Taylor won at Royal Cinque Ports, also by six shots, over James Braid and Tom Ball.

Sam Snead infamously never won the U.S. Open, and one of his closest misses took place in 1939, at Philadelphia Country Club. Snead had led after the first two rounds, but on June 10, thinking he needed to be aggressive on the final hole, took a triple-bogey 8 when all he needed was a par 5 to win. He finished two behind Byron Nelson, Craig Wood and Denny Shute, who went on to decide a champion in a playoff. Nelson and Wood were tied after 18 holes, with Shute dropping out, then Nelson eventually prevailed in a second playoff round, 70-73. Also on this date in 1904, The Open Championship was ended at Royal St. George’s Golf club with Jack White the winner by one shot over the legendary twosome and future five-time winners James Braid and J.H. Taylor.

Four years after Bobby Jones clinched the Grand Slam at Merion in 1930, the iconic club near Philadelphia was site of its first U.S. Open. It ended on June 9, with Olin Dutra winning by one shot over Gene Sarazen. Dutra shot a 72 in the final round to edge Sarazen, who was looking good with 18 to go but struggled in with 76. Also on this date in 1898, Harry Vardon won his second Open Championship, at Prestwick GC, by one shot over Willie Park Jr.

The 39th playing of the U.S. Open in 1935 was unlike any other to that point. Finishing on June 8 and played at tough Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club, Sam Parks, Jr., was the surprise winner, beating Jimmy Thomson by two and Walter Hagen by three. Parks was a local favorite who played out of South Hills Country Club in nearby Pittsburgh. Prior to the '35 playing, the championship had been dominated by foreign players at first, then American winner Francis Ouimet in 1913 spurred a turnaround by the Yanks. Along came amateur stars Chick Evans and Bobby Jones, plus Hagen and Gene Sarazen. Another men’s major in its 39th playing that ended on this date was in 1899 when the Open Championship was won by Harry Vardon for the third time, by five shots over Jack White.

It took seven tries for the British side to win its first Curtis Cup Match but it finally broke through in 1952. It took place at Muirfield, Scotland, which only just in the spring of 2017 voted to allow women to become members. The final day was June 7, 1952, and it came down to the final match, where Brit Elizabeth Price beat Grace DeMoss, 3 and 2, to give the British Isles a 5-4 victory. Also on this date, in 1900, the Open Championship was completed at the Old Course in St. Andrews, won by J.H. Taylor by eight strokes over Harry Vardon. It was Taylor’s third of five Open victories.

For the second day in a row, we "observe" a Bobby Jones runner-up finish in the U.S. Open. Jones was 21 when he won in 1923, but on June 6, 1924, a fourth-round 78 allowed Cyril Walker to sneak in to win the 28th playing by three shots at Oakland Hills in Birmingham, Mich. As noted yesterday, June 5, Jones lost in a playoff in 1925, but then he won three of the next five National Opens and lost a playoff in a fourth. From 1920 to 1930, Jones missed the top 10 just one time, and that was by a shot.