Learn About the US Open Golf Tournament
Learn some of the details behind the evolution of the US Open Golf Tournament, the second oldest of the major contests. There’s a very interesting history leading to what this legendary golf tournament represents today.
The US Open Golf Tournament
The US Open golf tournament is the second oldest of the modern golf majors, having started in 1895, 30 years after the first British Open. The golf majors initially consisted of The (British) Open, The Amateur Championship (British), The US Open, and The US Amateur Championship. Even though The PGA started in 1916 and The Masters in 1934, it wasn’t until about 1960 that the modern day golf majors were known as The Masters, The US Open, The Open, and The PGA.
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.
From the original 36 holes in one day, the format of The US Open has changed several times during the years. The Championship was extended by the USGA to 72-holes in 1898; 36-holes played over each of two days. The format was changed in 1926 to 18-holes played over each of two days, finishing with 36 holes on the third day. The present day format was established in 1965 - 18-holes played over each of 4 days.
In 1922, spectator tickets were sold for the very first time which helped increase the popularity of The US Open. Bobby Jones, an amateur golfer from Georgia who won the event in 1923, 1926, 1929, and 1930, also contributed to the popularity of the event and the sport in general. In 1954, the event was televised and broadcast on national television which helped increase the popularity even more. Surprisingly, it wasn’t until 1977 that there was live coverage of all 18 holes from the final two days, and 1982 when the first two days had live coverage.
From 1895 until 1910, the British dominated The US Open, or more correctly, the Scots - winning 12 of the first 15 events. One of those Scots, Willie Anderson, won The US Open four times in the 1900’s. There has only been a total of four players that have won four times; the other three were Bobby Jones in the 1920’s and 1930 (when he won the Grand Slam); Ben Hogan from the late 40’s to early 50’s; and The Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus who won his first in 1962 and his last in 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.
Surprisingly, only 5 players have managed to win The US Open as well as The Open, The Masters, and The PGA. None of them have won all 4 majors in one single year though - Bobby Jones did his Grand Slam with The Open, The (British) Amateur Championship, The US Open, and The US Amateur. The five players to win the four golf majors were Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
With 78 wins between 1911 and 2008, Americans have dominated The US Open. No other country have come close; South Africa has the second most wins with 5 titles. There have only been a handful of nations that have won the event once or twice - Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, and Argentina. Since 1910, Scotland have only managed to produce one golfer that has won The US Open; Willie MacFarlane in 1925. In fact, in recent years, only Sandy Lyle has managed to win a golf major on US soil - The Masters in 1988.
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July 02 2008 06:11 pm | Golf