Who Are the Winners of the U.S. Open Golf Tournament?

The United States Open Championship is better known simply as the U.S. Open. This tournament is one of the four that comprise the PGA's Grand Slam. Taking place in June, the final round is always targeted to played on Father's Day because, of course, there is no better way for a father to prove his love to his son than by spending four hours glue to the television. Unlike the Masters, the U.S. Open is played on a variety of different courses. Winning the U.S. Open is one of the most coveted accomplishments in professional golf and throughout its long history it has been won by both legends and surprises who came out of nowhere and followed their unexpected win by going nowhere else.

1913 was a great year for the U.S. Open because that is the year that a little cuss named Francis Ouitmet (who was actually America and not French) managed to kick both Harry Vardon and Ted Ray to bunker curb. (1913 was also the year my grandmother was born; has nothing to do with the U.S. Open specifically or golf in general, but that fact is far more important to me than young Mr. Ouimet's accomplishment.) Harry Vardon and Ted Ray lost to Ouimet in a playoff that captured the attention of golf fans who could not understand how the two veterans could not have unnerved the young upstart. The concept began to creep into the conciousness that golf championship need not necessarily be won entirely on the basis of longstanding knowledge of the courses. Ouimet proved that sheer raw talent could upend tradition. From that point on, the U.S. Open would never be the same.

It was Bobby Jones' legendary performances during the 1920s that really cemented the U.S. Open as one of the most important tournaments in the world, however. Over a span of just eight years, Bobby Jones captured the championship four times. Bobby Jones was nearly as big a celebrity in the world of sports during the 1920s as Babe Ruth or Jack Dempsey. Jones was to golf what Ruth was to baseball and Dempsey was to boxing in the 1920s. With one very important exception: Bobby Jones played as an amateur. He truly played for the love of the game. And it was the love of the game that made the U.S. Open one of the four majors on the PGA Tour.

2000s

2009 - Lucas Glover, Bethpage State Park, Black Course Farmingdale, NY

2008 - Tiger Woods, Torrey Pines Golf Course, San Diego, CA
2007 - Angel Cabrera, Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, PA
2006 - Geoff Ogilvy, Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, NY
2005 - Michael Campbell, Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, NC
2004 - Retief Goosen, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, NY
2003 - Jim Furyk, Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields, IL
2002 - Tiger Woods, Bethpage Black, Farmingdale, New York
2001 - Retief Goosen, Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Oklahoma
2000 - Tiger Woods, Pebble Beach GL, Pebble Beach, California

1990s

1999 - Payne Stewart, Pinehurst Resort and CC, Pinehurst, North Carolina
1998 - Lee Janzen, The Olympic Club, San Francisco
1997 - Ernie Els, Congressional CC, Bethesda, Maryland
1996 - Steve Jones, Oakland Hills CC, Birmingham, Michigan
1995 - Corey Pavin, Shinnecock Hills GC, Southampton, New York
1994 - Ernie Els, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1993 - Lee Janzen, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, New Jersey
1992 - Tom Kite, Pebble Beach GL, Pebble Beach, California
1991 - Payne Stewart, Hazeltine National GC, Chaska, Minnesota
1990 - Hale Irwin, Medinah CC, Medinah, Illinois

1980s

1989 - Curtis Strange, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, New York
1988 - Curtis Strange, The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts
1987 - Scott Simpson, The Olympic Club, San Francisco
1986 - Ray Floyd, Shinnecock Hills GC, Southampton, New York
1985 - Andy North, Oakland Hills GC, Birmingham, Michigan
1984 - Fuzzy Zoeller, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, New York
1983 - Larry Nelson, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1982 - Tom Watson, Pebble Beach GL, Pebble Beach, California
1981 - David Graham, Merion GC, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
1980 - Jack Nicklaus, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, New Jersey

1970s

1979 - Hale Irwin, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio
1978 - Andy North, Cherry Hills CC, Englewood, Colorado
1977 - Hubert Green, Southern Hills CC, Tulsa, Oklahoma
1976 - Jerry Pate, Atlanta AC, Duluth, Georgia
1975 - Lou Graham, Medinah CC, Medinah, Illinois
1974 - Hale Irwin, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, New York
1973 - Johnny Miller, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1972 - Jack Nicklaus, Pebble Beach GL, Pebble Beach, California
1971 - Lee Trevino, Merion GC, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
1970 - Tony Jacklin, Hazeltine National GC, Chaska, Minnesota

1960s

1969 - Orville Moody, Champion GC, Houston
1968 - Lee Trevino, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, New York
1967 - Jack Nicklaus, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, New Jersey
1966 - Billy Casper, The Olympic Club, San Francisco
1965 - Gary Player, Bellerive CC, St Louis
1964 - Ken Venturi, Congressional CC, Bethesda, Maryland
1963 - Julius Boros, The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts
1962 - Jack Nicklaus, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1961 - Gene Littler, Oakland Hills CC, Birmingham, Michigan
1960 - Arnold Palmer, Cherry Hills CC, Englewood, Colorado

1950s and 1940s

1959 - Billy Casper, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, New York
1958 - Tommy Bolt, Southern Hills CC, Tulsa, Oklahoma
1957 - Dick Mayer, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio
1956 - Cary Middlecoff, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, New York
1955 - Jack Fleck, The Olympic Club, San Francisco
1954 - Ed Furgol, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, New Jersey
1953 - Ben Hogan, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1952 - Julius Boros, Northwood Club, Dallas
1951 - Ben Hogan, Oakland Hills CC, Birmingham, Michigan
1950 - Ben Hogan, Merion GC, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
1949 - Cary Middlecoff, Medinah CC, Medinah, Illinois
1948 - Ben Hogan, Riviera CC, Los Angeles
1947 - Lew Worsham, St. Louis CC, Clayton, Missouri
1946 - Lloyd Mangrum, Canterbury GC, Cleveland
1942 - 1945 - No championship played
1941 - Craig Wood, Colonial CC, Fort Worth, Texas
1940 - Lawson Little, Canterbury GC, Cleveland

1930s and 1920s

1939 - Byron Nelson, Philadelphia CC, Philadelphia
1938 - Ralph Guldahl, Cherry Hills Club, Englewood, Colorado
1937 - Ralph Guldahl, Oakland Hills CC, Birmingham, Michigan
1936 - Tony Manero, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, New Jersey
1935 - Sam Parks Jr, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1934 - Olin Dutra, Merion Cricket Club, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
1933 - Johnny Goodman, North Shore GC, Glenview, Illinois
1932 - Gene Sarazen, Fresh Meadow CC, Flushing, New York
1931 - Billy Burke, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio
1930 - Bobby Jones, Interlachen CC, Minneapolis
1929 - Bobby Jones, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, New York
1928 - Johnny Farrell, Olympic Field GC, Matteson, Illinois
1927 - Tommy Armour, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1926 - Bobby Jones, Scioto CC, Columbus, Ohio
1925 - Willie MacFarlane, Worcester CC, Worcester, Massachusetts
1924 - Cyril Walker, Oakland Hills CC, Birmingham, Michigan
1923 - Bobby Jones, Inwood CC, Inwood, New York
1922 - Gene Sarazen, Skokie GC, Glencoe, Illinois
1921 - James Barnes, Columbia CC, Chevy Chase, Maryland
1920 - Edward Ray, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio

1919-1895

1919 - Walter Hagen, Brae Burn CC, West Newton, Massachusetts
1917 - 1918 - No championship played
1916 - Charles Evans Jr, Minikahda Club, Minneapolis
1915 - Jerome Travers, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, New Jersey
1914 - Walter Hagen, Midlothian CC, Blue Island, Illinois
1913 - Francis Ouimet, The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts
1912 - John McDermott, CC of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
1911 - John McDermott, Chicago GC, Wheaton, Illinois
1910 - Alex Smith, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia
1909 - George Sargent, Englewood GC, Englewood, New Jersey
1908 - Fred McLeod, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Massachusetts
1907 - Alex Ross, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia
1906 - Alex Smith, Onwentsia Club, Lake Forest, Illinois
1905 - Willie Anderson, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Massachusetts
1904 - Willie Anderson, Glen View Club, Golf, Illinois
1903 - Willie Anderson, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, New Jersey
1902 - Laurie Auchterlonie, Garden City GC, Garden City, New York
1901 - Willie Anderson, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Massachusetts
1900 - Harry Vardon, Chicago GC, Wheaton, Illinois
1899 - Willie Smith, Baltimore CC, Baltimore
1898 - Fred Herd, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Massachusetts
1897 - Joe Lloyd, Chicago GC, Wheaton, Illinois
1896 - James Foulis, Shinnecock Hills GC, Southhampton, New York
1895 - Horace Rawlins, Newport GC, Newport, Rhode Island