THE HISTORY
The US Open, is the second of the Major golf tournaments to be played
during the calendar year. The tournament is hosted by various courses,
unlike the previous major this year, The Masters, which is always held at
the same venue.
The first U.S. Open was played on October 4, 1895, at the Newport Country
Club in Newport, Rhode Island. The course at that point in time was only
nine holes but the competition took place over 36 and all played on one
day. The very first field was made up of ten professionals and one amateur,
the very first winner was a 21-year-old Englishman named Horace Rawlins,
who had arrived in the U.S. in January that year to take up a position at the
host club.
WEBB SIMPSON
The original proze pot was $335 plus a gold medal for the winner, a little
different to nowadays with the prize pot being over $9,000,000 with the
winner receiving over $1,450,000.
The event was dominated by British players in the early year until 1911
when John J. McDermott became the first native-born American winner.
Since that year only 7 other flags have been represented on the winner’s
trophy, the most notable is South Africa 4 winners. In the last 10 years
only three winners have been American - Webb Simpson, Lucas Glover and
Tiger Woods.
The event has now become synonymous with family especially with fathers
and sons, if there are no weather delays, the final round is played on
the third Sunday in June, which is Father’s Day meaning the winning
celebrations are extremely emotional with players thanking or remembering
their loved ones.
In recent years many winners of the US Open have struggled to break par,
including triumphs for Justin Rose in 2013 and Webb Simpson in 2012,
who both finished 1 over. Looking back to the mid-2000’s, both Angel
Cabrera and Geoff Ogilvy won the US Open with a score of 5 over par, the
likes of which is rarely seen at any other major golf event. However, there
have been exceptions, most notably in 2014, when Martin Kaymer won
with a score of 9 under par at Pinehurst and Rory McIlroy, who won with a
record-breaking score of 16 under at Congressional Country Club in 2011.
The conditions did play a part in allowing players to score low in 2011 but
this year, the course may not be so forgiving.
42 YOURCADDY | ISSUE 03
LUCUS GLOVER
TIGER WOODS