The US Open is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world of golf. Its long history began in 1985 at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island, and it is the oldest golf competition in the United States. Like any great event, its rich tradition hides unknown data and many curiosities. Here are 5 things you should know about the US Open.
The US Open is a traveling tournament
Unlike other golf contests, the US Open changes venues annually. The event takes place on some of the best golf courses in the United States, chosen several years in advance. Oakmont Country Club hosted the Open nine times, followed by Baltusrol Golf Club, which hosted the prestigious tournament seven times. Other clubs that have hosted the event are Oakland Hills Country Club, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Winged Foot Golf Club Olympic Club, Merion Golf Club, and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, among many others. One more piece of information: some US Open venues have already been established until 2051, which will be held at Oakland Hills Country Club.
Multiple US Open winners
There are very few golfers who have managed to win the US Open on several occasions. The top winners are Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus, with four wins each. With three wins are Hale Irwin and Tiger Woods. Then, 16 players are part of the “exclusive club” of players who won the Open twice.
Qualifying for the US Open
The road to the US Open began in April. The USGA (tournament organizer) is known for its rigorous qualification process. Participants must overcome different qualifying locations, which include a local round and a final classification, with stages of up to 36 holes in a single day. This allows amateur and professional golfers to compete against the best on a level playing field.
Benefits of winning the US Open
Winning the US Open grants multiple benefits and privileges like other major tournaments. US Open champions get automatically invited to play in the other three majors (Masters, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship) for the next five years. In addition, they are invited to play in The Players Championship for the next five years and are exempt from qualifying for the US Open for ten years.
US Open playoffs
Historically, the US Open defined its ties at 72 holes with an additional round the day after the tournament ended (a Monday). Since 2018 this has been modified, and since then, the USGA has adopted a two-hole aggregate playoff format. If these two holes are not resolved, the players will continue playing an additional hole to sudden death until a player is declared the winner.
