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USA Today
20 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Golfweek asked ChatGPT for predictions and more at the 2025 U.S. Open
Golfweek asked ChatGPT for predictions and more at the 2025 U.S. Open ChatGPT analyzed Oakmont and the field at the U.S. Open, then predicted contenders. But it shocked us with a big-name it thinks could miss the cut. Golf fans don't need artificial intelligence to know the U.S. Open is the toughest golf tournament on the schedule every year, and that Oakmont Country Club prides itself on being one of the hardest golf courses in the world. The list of men who have won there is illustrious: Tommy Armour (1927), Sam Parks Jr. (1935), Ben Hogan (1953), Jack Nicklaus (1962), Johnny Miller (1973), Larry Nelson (1983), Ernie Els (1994), Angel Cabrera (2007) and Dustin Johnson (2016). While golf media members and prognosticators have been bantering about who might win this year's U.S. Open since Scottie Scheffler won the 2025 PGA Championship last month, Golfweek decided to see what one of the biggest brains on Earth had to say on the subject. ChatGPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text, making it seem as if you're texting with a real person. A very real person. It's designed to understand and respond to user input, answer questions and even have a back-and-forth conversation. Here's what ChatGPT thinks about Oakmont Country Club, who might be a contender on Sunday afternoon, and which highly-ranked player is most likely to miss the cut. ChatGPT on Oakmont Country Club Golfweek: Let's start with the course. Among the venues that the USGA has used for recent U.S. Opens, how hard is Oakmont? ChatGPT: Oakmont Country Club is, without question, the most difficult course in the regular U.S. Open rota—and possibly the toughest test in all of championship golf. That's not just opinion; it's supported by scoring data and player feedback across decades. Let's talk numbers. In the last three U.S. Opens played at Oakmont—2007, 2016, and 1994—the winning scores were 4 under (Dustin Johnson, 2016), 5 over (Angel Cabrera, 2007), and 5 under (Ernie Els in a playoff, 1994). What's notable is that even with modern equipment, only four players broke par in 2016, and that was with a relatively calm week. In 2007, nobody broke par—Cabrera's +5 was good enough to win, and only eight players finished within 10 shots of the lead. Compare that to: 2023 at LACC (North Course): Wyndham Clark won at -10 Wyndham Clark won at -10 2022 at The Country Club (Brookline): Matt Fitzpatrick won at -6 Matt Fitzpatrick won at -6 2021 at Torrey Pines: Jon Rahm won at -6 Jon Rahm won at -6 2019 at Pebble Beach: Gary Woodland won at -13 Oakmont plays harder, period. Golfweek: Why is Oakmont so tough? ChatGPT: It's a combination of classic design and sheer brutality: Greens: Oakmont's greens are legendary—lightning fast, sloped, and crowned. They routinely roll 14+ on the Stimpmeter during U.S. Opens, making them the fastest in major championship golf. They're also massive, but pins are tucked and approaches must land on the right tier or risk a three-putt—or worse. Bunkers: Over 210 of them, many of them deep and positioned exactly where your ball wants to go. The famous 'Church Pews' between 3 and 4 are iconic, but every bunker feels like a penalty area. Narrow fairways and thick rough: The USGA always narrows the fairways at Oakmont, and the rough is dense, upright, and penal. Driving it in the short grass is a premium, especially with how firm the course usually plays. No water hazards, no gimmicks: Oakmont beats you up with angles, firmness, and speed. There are no ponds, no forced carries over lakes—just pure shotmaking, and nowhere to hide if you're off. In short: Among recent venues, Oakmont is the bar-none toughest. It demands everything—tee ball placement, spin control, elite lag putting and mental endurance. Even top players often leave with their confidence dented. Golfweek: What do you anticipate will be the hardest hole at the 2025 U.S. Open? ChatGPT: If history, design and setup trends are any guide, the most difficult hole at the 2025 U.S. Open will almost certainly be the first hole—and yes, that's as intimidating as it sounds. Oakmont's first hole is a par 4 that plays to about 480 yards. Right out of the gate, players face a brutally demanding tee shot that sets the tone for the day. The fairway tilts left to right, and anything slightly offline can kick into the rough or into the right-side bunkers. In the 2016 U.S. Open, fewer than 50 percent of players found the fairway on No. 1 all week. The green is angled front-to-back slopes severely from left to right. If you miss on the wrong side, it's a guaranteed bogey or worse. Most courses ease players into a round with a mid-length par 4 or scoring opportunity. At Oakmont, the first tee shot is more of a stress test—no warm-up swings, no bailouts, and no faking it. It's a major reason players say Oakmont gets in your head before your round even starts. Who might win the 2025 U.S. Open? Golfweek: Predict three players who will be in contention for the lead at the U.S. Open at the start of the fourth round? ChatGPT: Great question—and one that requires blending data, history, course fit and recent form. Predicting who will actually be leading after 54 holes is always a gamble, but three players stand out as especially likely to be in the hunt at Oakmont on Saturday night of the 2025 U.S. Open. Here are three names I'd put real stock in: Scottie Scheffler Why he'll be there: No one in men's professional golf has been more consistent than Scheffler over the last 18 months. He's leading the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green by a wide margin again in 2025, and Oakmont is a ballstriker's crucible. He drives it long and straight, controls spin beautifully, and has shown major resilience even when his putter isn't firing. Oakmont fit: Scheffler's natural shot shape—a tight fade with the driver—matches up well with Oakmont's demanding tee shots. His elite iron play will give him chances on holes where most players are scrambling for bogey. Plus, his recent putting switch (to the TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-Neck) has stabilized what was once a glaring weakness. Xander Schauffele Why he'll be there: Xander has been the most consistent U.S. Open performer of the past decade, with seven straight top-15 finishes since 2017. He finally broke through with a major win at the 2024 PGA Championship, and there's no reason to think he won't carry that confidence into Oakmont. Oakmont fit: He's cool under pressure and rarely beats himself. That kind of temperament plays at Oakmont, where the course demands total discipline. He's also top 10 in proximity from 175–225 yards in 2025—exactly the kind of approach range you face all week there. Tommy Fleetwood Why he'll be there: Fleetwood's name might surprise some, but he's put together a quietly excellent season and ranks among the best in strokes gained around the green and scrambling—a huge asset at Oakmont. His U.S. Open record is strong (T-2 in 2018, T-4 in 2017), and he thrives in tough, windy, firm conditions. Oakmont fit: Fleetwood is a grinder. He's not flashy off the tee, but he puts the ball in play and thrives when par is a good score. His creativity and feel on and around the greens could give him a real edge over players who are used to softer setups. Golfweek: Who is a player no one will be talking about who you think could finish in the top 10 at Oakmont? ChatGPT: Sahith Theegala He's not under-the-radar to golf fans anymore, but in a major field packed with big names and major winners, Theegala still qualifies as a sleeper—especially at a venue like Oakmont, where the course itself is the star, and emotional control is as critical as ball control. 1. He's a creative shotmaker with a great short game. Oakmont requires creativity and feel—two of Theegala's strengths. He plays with a natural flow and doesn't overly rely on mechanics, which helps him on uneven lies, thick rough, and the types of awkward recovery shots that Oakmont dishes out routinely. 2. Top-tier putting and touch. He's ranked among the top 30 on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting in 2025 and has shown the ability to drain mid-range putts under pressure. Oakmont's greens will be a nightmare for players who rely too much on analytics or struggle with speed control. Theegala, on the other hand, has the kind of natural putting stroke that holds up well on fast, sloped greens. 3. Major confidence curve. He's trending in the right direction. Theegala notched a T-6 at the 2024 British Open Championship, a T-12 at Augusta in 2025, and a strong run at the Players earlier this year. The experience is adding up, and he's shown he can handle big stages without losing his rhythm or confidence. 4. Comfortable in chaos. Some players unravel when they miss fairways or when the course gets firm and fiery. Theegala doesn't. He's a scrambler by nature, and Oakmont rewards guys who stay patient, aren't rattled by bogeys, and can grind out 72 tough holes. Who might miss the cut at the 2025 U.S. Open? Golfweek: Give me a big-name players who you think is most likely to miss the cut. ChatGPT: If you're looking for a bold prediction—and one that could stir up some clubhouse conversation—I'd say the big-name player most likely to miss the cut at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont is Bryson DeChambeau. That might seem controversial on the surface, especially considering how well he played in the 2024 majors and how much he's embraced U.S. Open setups in the past. But Oakmont is not Winged Foot or Pinehurst, and the setup in 2025 may be his undoing. Here's why Bryson is at risk: 1. Oakmont neutralizes power without precision. Bryson's strategy in 2020—bomb it as far as possible and gouge it onto the green—worked at Winged Foot because the fairways were narrow but the rough was uniform and not overly penal in some areas. At Oakmont, that same approach is far riskier. Oakmont's fairways are extremely narrow, the rough is thicker and clumpier, and the greens are firmer and faster. Miss a fairway here, and you're often looking at a layup, not a wedge from the rough. It's a course that rewards accuracy and punishes any loss of control—off the tee, into the greens, and especially around them. 2. Short game and putting concerns. Bryson has made strides with his putter, but Oakmont's greens are an entirely different animal. They're famously the fastest in major championship golf, and Bryson's tendency to struggle with speed control and lag putting under pressure could become a major liability. If you're not extremely precise with your spin and trajectory into these greens, three-putts (or worse) pile up fast. 3. Course architecture doesn't favor his style. There are no real 'gettable' par 5s at Oakmont (No. 12 being the exception, and even that's relative), and no holes where a high-risk/high-reward strategy offers a clear payoff. In fact, trying to overpower Oakmont can backfire quickly—ask players like Phil Mickelson or John Daly, both of whom struggled mightily here in past Opens when they tried to play aggressively. In 2016, when Bryson was still an amateur, he did make the cut at Oakmont, finishing T-15—but he was playing a far more controlled, conservative game back then. In recent U.S. Opens, he's had mixed results: wins at Winged Foot and Pinehurst, missed cut at Torrey Pines. Bottom line from ChatGPT ahead of the 2025 U.S. Open If Bryson comes in swinging driver with reckless abandon, Oakmont could chew him up. And if his iron play and touch around the greens aren't sharp, he could be heading home Friday night. He's got the talent, but this venue asks the wrong questions of his current game.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
PGA Tour Pro Invokes SNL Reaction to US Open Brutal Conditions
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Based on the reactions circulating on social media, Oakmont Country Club is poised to be the main star of the 2025 U.S. Open. Everything indicates that the course is set to be one of the toughest golf challenges in recent memory. The most recent reaction came from Michael Kim, an expert sharing his impressions through his X account, followed by more than 166,000 fans. In this case, the one-time PGA Tour winner reacted with a tongue-in-cheek Saturday Night Live GIF to a post by Golf Channel's Todd Lewis: "According to the @USGA the green speeds for the @usopengolf at Oakmont will be between 14' 5" and 14' 9" on the Stimpmeter. The primary rough is dense and uniformed at five inches," Lewis posted. There's no doubt these aren't very attractive conditions, hence Kim's lukewarm reaction. Lewis' report of the green speed means reading the trajectory and speed of putts will be difficult at Oakmont. Meanwhile, the height and thickness of the rough will easily cover a golf ball. Kim qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open thanks to reaching the 52nd spot on the world ranking. This will be his third appearance in the event, following his 17th-place finish at Merion in 2013 and missing the cut in Los Angeles in 2023. Players have also reported the challenging conditions expected at Oakmont. Recently, Ben Griffin, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott said they played practice rounds and described the many challenges they faced on the course. A general view of the 18th green during the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on June 19, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. A general view of the 18th green during the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on June 19, 2016 in Oakmont, U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau not only played a practice round but also filmed it and posted the video on his YouTube channel, which has more than 2 million subscribers. The video clearly shows the many difficulties competitors in the third major tournament of the season will face. Oakmont Country Club was founded in 1903, and its golf course was designed by Henry Fownes in 1904. The course currently measures 7,431 yards, is par 71, and boasts a course rating of 77.7 and a slope rating of 142. Johnny Miller set the course record of 63 at the 1973 US Open. Considered by many to be the world's hardest golf course, it has hosted numerous top-level events, including nine US Opens. The 2025 tournament will mark Oakmont's 10th hosting of the event, with the club scheduled to host again as early as 2033. More Golf: Keegan Bradley Offers Strong Opinion on First Ryder Cup Lock
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
US Open ‘25: What happened at previous Opens at Oakmont
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — A capsule look at the previous nine U.S. Open golf championships held at Oakmont Country Club: Year: 1927 Winner: Tommy Armour Score: 301 Margin: Playoff (76-79) Runner-up: Harry Cooper Prize: $500. Summary: Oakmont lived up to its reputation while hosting its first U.S. Open, with no one capable of breaking 300. Tommy Armour opened with a 78, and no U.S. Open champion since then has posted a higher score in the first round. It also was the last time a U.S. Open champion failed to break 300 over four rounds. Harry 'Lighthorse' Cooper appeared to be the winner, even after a three-putt on the 71st hole. Armour, however, holed a 10-foot birdie on the final hole to force a playoff. Armour shot his third straight round of 76 in the playoff to win by three. The Ryder Cup was held for the first time in 1927, and the British team played in the U.S. Open. ___ Year: 1935 Winner: Sam Parks Jr. Score: 299 Margin: 2 shots Runner-up: Jimmy Thomson Prize: $1,000 Summary: Oakmont again showed its brute strength when Sam Parks Jr., a professional at nearby South Hills Country Club, was the only player to break 300. He was tied with Jimmy Thomson going into the final round, but scoring was so difficult that none of the top 20 players on the leaderboard broke 75, and the low score of the final round was a 73. Parks prepared by playing Oakmont nearly every day for a month, and he had only two three-putts over 72 holes. Among those in the gallery was Harvard graduate Ed Stimpson, who was convinced the greens were too fast. He eventually created a device now called the Stimpmeter. ___ Year: 1953 Winner: Ben Hogan Score: 283 Margin: 6 shots Runner-up: Sam Snead Prize: $5,000 Summary: Two years after Sam Snead won the PGA Championship at Oakmont, he was no match for Ben Hogan, who won the last of his record-tying four U.S. Open titles. Hogan opened with a 67, but Snead whittled away at the lead until he trailed by one shot going into the final 18 holes. Hogan went 3-3-3 to close with a 71 for a six-shot victory over his fiercest rival. Snead never seriously challenged again in the U.S. Open, the only major he failed to win. Hogan became the first wire-to-wire winner of the Open since Jim Barnes in 1921, and the six-shot margin was the largest in 15 years. ___ Year: 1962 Winner: Jack Nicklaus Score: 283 Margin: Playoff (71-74) Runner-up: Arnold Palmer Prize: $17,500 Summary: In the most memorable major at Oakmont, 22-year-old rookie Jack Nicklaus heralded his arrival by beating Arnold Palmer in his own backyard. Nicklaus, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, was two shots behind going into the final 18 holes. Palmer was ahead by three until flubbing a chip on the ninth hole and taking bogey, and a bogey from the bunker on the 13th left him tied with Nicklaus. That's how they stayed, Nicklaus closing with a 69 to Palmer's 71, setting up an 18-hole playoff. Nicklaus built a four-shot lead through six holes and withstood Arnie's charge that pulled him within one. Palmer three-putted the 13th to stay two shots behind and never made up any more ground. Nicklaus shot 71 in the playoff to win by three, capturing the first of 18 professional majors. ___ Year: 1973 Winner: Johnny Miller Score: 279 Margin: 1 shot Runner-up: John Schlee Prize: $35,000. Summary: Johnny Miller is the only player to shoot 63 in the final round of a U.S. Open and win, and it remains what many believe is the best round ever played in the U.S. Open. He was six shots out of the lead going into the final round, held by Arnold Palmer, John Schlee, Julius Boros and Jerry Heard. Oakmont was never more vulnerable, although its soft conditions remain subject to debate. Some say the sprinklers were left on; others say lightning made the sprinklers come on overnight. Miller teed off an hour before the leaders and made nine birdies. His putt for a 62 on the 18th spun out of the cup. ___ Year: 1983 Winner: Larry Nelson Score: 280 Margin: 1 shot Runner-up: Tom Watson Prize: $72,000 Summary: Larry Nelson opened with 75-73 and was seven shots behind John Mahaffey and rookie Joe Rassett going into the weekend. He played the final 36 holes in 132, which remains a U.S. Open record. A 65 in the third round left the 35-year-old Nelson one shot behind Seve Ballesteros and Tom Watson. Nelson and Watson were tied when the final round was suspended by thunderstorms. When play resumed Monday morning, Nelson holed a 60-foot birdie putt on the 16th to take a one-shot lead. Nelson three-putted the final hole for a 67, but Watson missed a 5-foot par putt on the 17th and failed to catch him on the final hole. ___ Year: 1994 Winner: Ernie Els Score: 279 Margin: Playoff (Els 74-4-4, Roberts 74-4-5, Montgomerie 78) Runners-up: Loren Roberts, Colin Montgomerie Prize: $320,000 Summary: It was the first three-man playoff at the U.S. Open in 31 years, but it didn't have to be that way. Loren Roberts had a 4 1/2-foot par putt to win the tournament on the 72nd hole, but missed it badly for a 70. Ernie Els didn't look at the scoreboard to see that he had a one-shot lead, played aggressively and had to make a 5-foot bogey putt for 73. Colin Montgomerie was the only player to never have a chance to win, shooting his 70 earlier and waiting in the clubhouse. Montgomerie, dressed in dark clothing on a sweltering day, shot 78 in the playoff. Els opened bogey-triple bogey, but played the rest of his round at 1 under for a 74 to match Roberts. Els won on the 20th hole when Roberts' approach on the 11th caught a bunker and he blasted out to 30 feet and made bogey. Els became the first foreign-born winner of the U.S. Open since David Graham in 1981. ___ Year: 2007 Winner: Angel Cabrera Score: 285 Margin: 1 shot Runners-up: Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk Prize: $1.26 million Summary: Angel Cabrera became the first Argentine in 40 years to win a major. He became the champion sitting in the locker room as Jim Furyk faltered late and Tiger Woods couldn't buy a birdie. Cabrera made two birdies on the back nine, the last one on the 15th, and closed with a 69 to finish at 5-over 285. It was the highest winning score at Oakmont since 1935. Furyk was tied for the lead until he tried to drive the 17th green and made bogey. Woods, playing in the final group for the second straight major without winning, made only one birdie over the final 32 holes. ___ Year: 2016 Winner: Dustin Johnson Score: 276 Margin: 3 shots Runners-up: Jim Furyk, Scott Piercy, Shane Lowry Prize: $1.8 million Summary: Dustin Johnson finally won his first major after so many self-inflicted mishaps, and even with his best golf it wasn't easy. His ball moved as he prepared for a par putt on the fifth hole. The USGA decided it was worth a closer look and notified Johnson on the 12th tee that he may — or may not — face a one-shot penalty. Johnson played the last seven holes not knowing the score, and played like it didn't matter. The USGA penalized him, turning his 68 into a 69. No matter. His 276 was the lowest score posted in nine U.S. Opens at Oakmont and he won by three shots. Jim Furyk, who grew up in Pennsylvania, was a U.S. Open runner-up at Oakmont for the second time. ___ AP golf:
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
US Open '25: What happened at previous Opens at Oakmont
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — A capsule look at the previous nine U.S. Open golf championships held at Oakmont Country Club: Score: 301 Margin: Playoff (76-79) Runner-up: Harry Cooper Prize: $500. Summary: Oakmont lived up to its reputation while hosting its first U.S. Open, with no one capable of breaking 300. Tommy Armour opened with a 78, and no U.S. Open champion since then has posted a higher score in the first round. It also was the last time a U.S. Open champion failed to break 300 over four rounds. Harry 'Lighthorse' Cooper appeared to be the winner, even after a three-putt on the 71st hole. Armour, however, holed a 10-foot birdie on the final hole to force a playoff. Armour shot his third straight round of 76 in the playoff to win by three. The Ryder Cup was held for the first time in 1927, and the British team played in the U.S. Open. ___ Year: 1935 Winner: Sam Parks Jr. Score: 299 Margin: 2 shots Prize: $1,000 Summary: Oakmont again showed its brute strength when Sam Parks Jr., a professional at nearby South Hills Country Club, was the only player to break 300. He was tied with Jimmy Thomson going into the final round, but scoring was so difficult that none of the top 20 players on the leaderboard broke 75, and the low score of the final round was a 73. Parks prepared by playing Oakmont nearly every day for a month, and he had only two three-putts over 72 holes. Among those in the gallery was Harvard graduate Ed Stimpson, who was convinced the greens were too fast. He eventually created a device now called the Stimpmeter. Winner: Ben Hogan Score: 283 Margin: 6 shots Runner-up: Sam Snead Prize: $5,000 Summary: Two years after Sam Snead won the PGA Championship at Oakmont, he was no match for Ben Hogan, who won the last of his record-tying four U.S. Open titles. Hogan opened with a 67, but Snead whittled away at the lead until he trailed by one shot going into the final 18 holes. Hogan went 3-3-3 to close with a 71 for a six-shot victory over his fiercest rival. Snead never seriously challenged again in the U.S. Open, the only major he failed to win. Hogan became the first wire-to-wire winner of the Open since Jim Barnes in 1921, and the six-shot margin was the largest in 15 years. ___ Year: 1962 Winner: Jack Nicklaus Score: 283 Margin: Playoff (71-74) Runner-up: Arnold Palmer Prize: $17,500 Summary: In the most memorable major at Oakmont, 22-year-old rookie Jack Nicklaus heralded his arrival by beating Arnold Palmer in his own backyard. Nicklaus, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, was two shots behind going into the final 18 holes. Palmer was ahead by three until flubbing a chip on the ninth hole and taking bogey, and a bogey from the bunker on the 13th left him tied with Nicklaus. That's how they stayed, Nicklaus closing with a 69 to Palmer's 71, setting up an 18-hole playoff. Nicklaus built a four-shot lead through six holes and withstood Arnie's charge that pulled him within one. Palmer three-putted the 13th to stay two shots behind and never made up any more ground. Nicklaus shot 71 in the playoff to win by three, capturing the first of 18 professional majors. ___ Year: 1973 Winner: Johnny Miller Score: 279 Margin: 1 shot Runner-up: John Schlee Prize: $35,000. Summary: Johnny Miller is the only player to shoot 63 in the final round of a U.S. Open and win, and it remains what many believe is the best round ever played in the U.S. Open. He was six shots out of the lead going into the final round, held by Arnold Palmer, John Schlee, Julius Boros and Jerry Heard. Oakmont was never more vulnerable, although its soft conditions remain subject to debate. Some say the sprinklers were left on; others say lightning made the sprinklers come on overnight. Miller teed off an hour before the leaders and made nine birdies. His putt for a 62 on the 18th spun out of the cup. ___ Year: 1983 Winner: Larry Nelson Score: 280 Margin: 1 shot Runner-up: Tom Watson Prize: $72,000 Summary: Larry Nelson opened with 75-73 and was seven shots behind John Mahaffey and rookie Joe Rassett going into the weekend. He played the final 36 holes in 132, which remains a U.S. Open record. A 65 in the third round left the 35-year-old Nelson one shot behind Seve Ballesteros and Tom Watson. Nelson and Watson were tied when the final round was suspended by thunderstorms. When play resumed Monday morning, Nelson holed a 60-foot birdie putt on the 16th to take a one-shot lead. Nelson three-putted the final hole for a 67, but Watson missed a 5-foot par putt on the 17th and failed to catch him on the final hole. ___ Year: 1994 Winner: Ernie Els Score: 279 Margin: Playoff (Els 74-4-4, Roberts 74-4-5, Montgomerie 78) Runners-up: Loren Roberts, Colin Montgomerie Prize: $320,000 Summary: It was the first three-man playoff at the U.S. Open in 31 years, but it didn't have to be that way. Loren Roberts had a 4½-foot par putt to win the tournament on the 72nd hole, but missed it badly for a 70. Ernie Els didn't look at the scoreboard to see that he had a one-shot lead, played aggressively and had to make a 5-foot bogey putt for 73. Colin Montgomerie was the only player to never have a chance to win, shooting his 70 earlier and waiting in the clubhouse. Montgomerie, dressed in dark clothing on a sweltering day, shot 78 in the playoff. Els opened bogey-triple bogey, but played the rest of his round at 1 under for a 74 to match Roberts. Els won on the 20th hole when Roberts' approach on the 11th caught a bunker and he blasted out to 30 feet and made bogey. Els became the first foreign-born winner of the U.S. Open since David Graham in 1981. ___ Year: 2007 Winner: Angel Cabrera Score: 285 Margin: 1 shot Runners-up: Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk Prize: $1.26 million Summary: Angel Cabrera became the first Argentine in 40 years to win a major. He became the champion sitting in the locker room as Jim Furyk faltered late and Tiger Woods couldn't buy a birdie. Cabrera made two birdies on the back nine, the last one on the 15th, and closed with a 69 to finish at 5-over 285. It was the highest winning score at Oakmont since 1935. Furyk was tied for the lead until he tried to drive the 17th green and made bogey. Woods, playing in the final group for the second straight major without winning, made only one birdie over the final 32 holes. ___ Year: 2016 Winner: Dustin Johnson Score: 276 Margin: 3 shots Runners-up: Jim Furyk, Scott Piercy, Shane Lowry Prize: $1.8 million Summary: Dustin Johnson finally won his first major after so many self-inflicted mishaps, and even with his best golf it wasn't easy. His ball moved as he prepared for a par putt on the fifth hole. The USGA decided it was worth a closer look and notified Johnson on the 12th tee that he may — or may not — face a one-shot penalty. Johnson played the last seven holes not knowing the score, and played like it didn't matter. The USGA penalized him, turning his 68 into a 69. No matter. His 276 was the lowest score posted in nine U.S. Opens at Oakmont and he won by three shots. Jim Furyk, who grew up in Pennsylvania, was a U.S. Open runner-up at Oakmont for the second time. ___
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
US Open '25: What happened at previous Opens at Oakmont
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — A capsule look at the previous nine U.S. Open golf championships held at Oakmont Country Club: Year: 1927 Winner: Tommy Armour Score: 301 Margin: Playoff (76-79) Runner-up: Harry Cooper Advertisement Prize: $500. Summary: Oakmont lived up to its reputation while hosting its first U.S. Open, with no one capable of breaking 300. Tommy Armour opened with a 78, and no U.S. Open champion since then has posted a higher score in the first round. It also was the last time a U.S. Open champion failed to break 300 over four rounds. Harry 'Lighthorse' Cooper appeared to be the winner, even after a three-putt on the 71st hole. Armour, however, holed a 10-foot birdie on the final hole to force a playoff. Armour shot his third straight round of 76 in the playoff to win by three. The Ryder Cup was held for the first time in 1927, and the British team played in the U.S. Open. ___ Year: 1935 Advertisement Winner: Sam Parks Jr. Score: 299 Margin: 2 shots Runner-up: Jimmy Thomson Prize: $1,000 Summary: Oakmont again showed its brute strength when Sam Parks Jr., a professional at nearby South Hills Country Club, was the only player to break 300. He was tied with Jimmy Thomson going into the final round, but scoring was so difficult that none of the top 20 players on the leaderboard broke 75, and the low score of the final round was a 73. Parks prepared by playing Oakmont nearly every day for a month, and he had only two three-putts over 72 holes. Among those in the gallery was Harvard graduate Ed Stimpson, who was convinced the greens were too fast. He eventually created a device now called the Stimpmeter. Advertisement ___ Year: 1953 Winner: Ben Hogan Score: 283 Margin: 6 shots Runner-up: Sam Snead Prize: $5,000 Summary: Two years after Sam Snead won the PGA Championship at Oakmont, he was no match for Ben Hogan, who won the last of his record-tying four U.S. Open titles. Hogan opened with a 67, but Snead whittled away at the lead until he trailed by one shot going into the final 18 holes. Hogan went 3-3-3 to close with a 71 for a six-shot victory over his fiercest rival. Snead never seriously challenged again in the U.S. Open, the only major he failed to win. Hogan became the first wire-to-wire winner of the Open since Jim Barnes in 1921, and the six-shot margin was the largest in 15 years. Advertisement ___ Year: 1962 Winner: Jack Nicklaus Score: 283 Margin: Playoff (71-74) Runner-up: Arnold Palmer Prize: $17,500 Summary: In the most memorable major at Oakmont, 22-year-old rookie Jack Nicklaus heralded his arrival by beating Arnold Palmer in his own backyard. Nicklaus, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, was two shots behind going into the final 18 holes. Palmer was ahead by three until flubbing a chip on the ninth hole and taking bogey, and a bogey from the bunker on the 13th left him tied with Nicklaus. That's how they stayed, Nicklaus closing with a 69 to Palmer's 71, setting up an 18-hole playoff. Nicklaus built a four-shot lead through six holes and withstood Arnie's charge that pulled him within one. Palmer three-putted the 13th to stay two shots behind and never made up any more ground. Nicklaus shot 71 in the playoff to win by three, capturing the first of 18 professional majors. Advertisement ___ Year: 1973 Winner: Johnny Miller Score: 279 Margin: 1 shot Runner-up: John Schlee Prize: $35,000. Summary: Johnny Miller is the only player to shoot 63 in the final round of a U.S. Open and win, and it remains what many believe is the best round ever played in the U.S. Open. He was six shots out of the lead going into the final round, held by Arnold Palmer, John Schlee, Julius Boros and Jerry Heard. Oakmont was never more vulnerable, although its soft conditions remain subject to debate. Some say the sprinklers were left on; others say lightning made the sprinklers come on overnight. Miller teed off an hour before the leaders and made nine birdies. His putt for a 62 on the 18th spun out of the cup. Advertisement ___ Year: 1983 Winner: Larry Nelson Score: 280 Margin: 1 shot Runner-up: Tom Watson Prize: $72,000 Summary: Larry Nelson opened with 75-73 and was seven shots behind John Mahaffey and rookie Joe Rassett going into the weekend. He played the final 36 holes in 132, which remains a U.S. Open record. A 65 in the third round left the 35-year-old Nelson one shot behind Seve Ballesteros and Tom Watson. Nelson and Watson were tied when the final round was suspended by thunderstorms. When play resumed Monday morning, Nelson holed a 60-foot birdie putt on the 16th to take a one-shot lead. Nelson three-putted the final hole for a 67, but Watson missed a 5-foot par putt on the 17th and failed to catch him on the final hole. Advertisement ___ Year: 1994 Winner: Ernie Els Score: 279 Margin: Playoff (Els 74-4-4, Roberts 74-4-5, Montgomerie 78) Runners-up: Loren Roberts, Colin Montgomerie Prize: $320,000 Summary: It was the first three-man playoff at the U.S. Open in 31 years, but it didn't have to be that way. Loren Roberts had a 4½-foot par putt to win the tournament on the 72nd hole, but missed it badly for a 70. Ernie Els didn't look at the scoreboard to see that he had a one-shot lead, played aggressively and had to make a 5-foot bogey putt for 73. Colin Montgomerie was the only player to never have a chance to win, shooting his 70 earlier and waiting in the clubhouse. Montgomerie, dressed in dark clothing on a sweltering day, shot 78 in the playoff. Els opened bogey-triple bogey, but played the rest of his round at 1 under for a 74 to match Roberts. Els won on the 20th hole when Roberts' approach on the 11th caught a bunker and he blasted out to 30 feet and made bogey. Els became the first foreign-born winner of the U.S. Open since David Graham in 1981. Advertisement ___ Year: 2007 Winner: Angel Cabrera Score: 285 Margin: 1 shot Runners-up: Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk Prize: $1.26 million Summary: Angel Cabrera became the first Argentine in 40 years to win a major. He became the champion sitting in the locker room as Jim Furyk faltered late and Tiger Woods couldn't buy a birdie. Cabrera made two birdies on the back nine, the last one on the 15th, and closed with a 69 to finish at 5-over 285. It was the highest winning score at Oakmont since 1935. Furyk was tied for the lead until he tried to drive the 17th green and made bogey. Woods, playing in the final group for the second straight major without winning, made only one birdie over the final 32 holes. Advertisement ___ Year: 2016 Winner: Dustin Johnson Score: 276 Margin: 3 shots Runners-up: Jim Furyk, Scott Piercy, Shane Lowry Prize: $1.8 million Summary: Dustin Johnson finally won his first major after so many self-inflicted mishaps, and even with his best golf it wasn't easy. His ball moved as he prepared for a par putt on the fifth hole. The USGA decided it was worth a closer look and notified Johnson on the 12th tee that he may — or may not — face a one-shot penalty. Johnson played the last seven holes not knowing the score, and played like it didn't matter. The USGA penalized him, turning his 68 into a 69. No matter. His 276 was the lowest score posted in nine U.S. Opens at Oakmont and he won by three shots. Jim Furyk, who grew up in Pennsylvania, was a U.S. Open runner-up at Oakmont for the second time. ___ AP golf:
