Over the years, the U.S. Open has witnessed some of toughest tests of golf and unforgettable moments that have etched their way into the history of the sport.
From jaw-dropping rounds to miraculous putts, the tournament has always been a stage for biggest stars of the game to showcase their skills and make their mark. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some crazy stats and facts from the tournament, highlighting the incredible feats, and some not so incredible, from some of the world’s best.
44
Jack Nicklaus started 44 consecutive U.S. Opens, starting as a 17-year-old amateur in 1957 and finishing as a 60-year-old, four-time winner, in 2000.
15
Tiger Woods won by a whopping 15 strokes with his score of 272 at Pebble Beach in California in 2000. This is also the record winning margin across all four Major Championships.
6
The Country Club of Buffalo held the 1912 U.S. Open and featured the only par 6 in the event’s history. John McDermott played the 606-yard par-6 10th hole at six-under for the tournament.
$150
The winner of the first U.S. Open Championship in 1891 was Horace Rawlins, who collected $150, a gold medal and the trophy. The winner in 2023 will earn $3.6 million.
19
The worst single hole score in a U.S. Open belongs to Ray Ainsley in 1938 at Cherry Hills C.C. It started when he hit his ball into the creek on the par-4 16th and ended with a 19 on his scorecard.
Missed cut
Webb Simpson (2012) is the only winner since 2000 to be coming off a missed cut in his last start before the U.S. Open.
14
None of the last 14 US Opens has been decided by a playoff, the last one dating back to 2008 when Tiger Woods saw off Rocco Mediate. It’s currently the longest run without a playoff in the four men’s golf Majors.
71
The last player from outside the top 40 in the World Ranking to win the US Open was Lucas Glover in 2009 – he was 71st coming into the championship.
