The U.S. Open’s unofficial home and most historic course is Oakmont

Major championship golf is back this week at Oakmont Country Club. Unlike last year, where a controversial Chambers Bay hosted the U.S. Open, this year’s tournament is a course with as much history and championship pedigree as any in the United States. Since its founding in 1903, Oakmont has hosted the U.S. Open eight times and the PGA Championship three times. With that many major championships, almost all of the game’s greats have had a chance to play a major championship at Oakmont. Here are some of the best U.S. Open moments from the Pittsburgh-area track.

Just four years after Ben Hogan was nearly killed in a car accident, he was back at the top of his game. Hogan’s 1953 season is one of the best seasons in golf history. After winning the Masters in April, Hogan came to Oakmont with a chance to add a second consecutive major. But first, he needed to qualify. Before the start of the U.S. Open, Hogan played in a 36-hole qualifier to secure a spot in the field. Spoiler: he made it.

Hogan opened with scores of 67 and 72 to take a two-shot lead into the weekend. A third-round score of 73 put Hogan one shot clear of Sam Snead. Hogan and Snead battled on the front nine of the final round and Snead actually had the lead heading to the back nine.

Hogan made three birdies to pull away from Snead and claim his second consecutive major. He would add the British Open later in the summer. In doing so, he became the only player in history to win the first three majors of the year and only Tiger Woods has won three majors in a single season since. Hogan’s chance at winning all four majors was stopped short because of a scheduling conflict, a problem that the modern player cannot quite comprehend. That year, the British Open overlapped with the PGA Championship.

Oakmont is basically in Arnold Palmer’s backyard and has been referred to as his unofficial home course. As such, the crowd at the 1962 U.S. Open was decidedly pro-Palmer. But a young upstart named Jack Nicklaus put a stop to Palmer winning his second U.S. Open in three years after a grueling 18-hole playoff.

At just 22 years old, Nicklaus had already played in five U.S. Opens and actually finished second to Palmer in 1960. He had yet to break through for a professional win, though. After coming from three shots back in the final round of the Open, Nicklaus and Palmer were tied at 1-under and headed to an 18-hole playoff. The pro-Palmer crowd was quickly silenced as Nicklaus stormed out to a four-shot lead after eight holes. But hey, Palmer was pretty good. He ran off three birdies in four holes to get to one shot back after twelve holes.

The 13th hole proved to be one of the most important of the day. A par for Nicklaus and a three-putt bogey for Palmer provided all the margin Jack would need. When it was all said and done Jack won by three shots for his first professional win and first of 18 major championships.

Never heard of Johnny Miller’s famous final round? Just ask him about it. Today it has sort of become the butt of jokes about Miller’s ability to work it into any golf broadcast, but in 1973, he put together one of the greatest final rounds in U.S. Open history.

At six shots back heading to the final round, it didn’t look like Miller was in contention. Plus, he would have had to overtake Nicklaus, Lee Trevino or 54-hole leader Palmer to win. It really didn’t seem possible. But in a day where almost no one broke 70, Miller hit all 18 greens in regulation and took only 29 putts. Miller was so dialed in, ten of his approach shots were within fifteen feet. His nine birdies and one bogey were good enough to overtake all the legends in front of him and Miller became a major champion with what is arguably the greatest round in the history of golf.

1994 -€” Arnie Says Goodbye

July 17, 1994 may be the most memorable date in sports history. The New York Knicks were playing the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals. Ken Griffey Jr. was keeping pace with Roger Maris’ record home run pace. The World Cup began on U.S. soil for the first time. Oh, and maybe the most memorable moment of the decade occurred as O.J. Simpson led the Los Angeles police department on a car chase.

Amidst all that chaos, Arnold Palmer made a headline of his own at Oakmont. Having played the course since he was twelve years old, Oakmont was essentially Palmer’s home track. He decided this would be his 32nd and final U.S. Open, ending a fantastic career on the same course where it started.

After shooting an opening round 77, Palmer was far from contention. He struggled through an impossibly hot day during the second round and eventually shot 81, which led to a missed cut. But he wanted to be at Oakmont. He was granted a special exemption by the USGA to let him make that final walk up 18 in front of the Western Pennsylvania fans. Palmer would say after, “I’m a sentimental slob.” It appeared that the whole gallery was too as almost everyone in attendance was crowded around the 18th green. Palmer three-putted the final green, but it didn’t matter. Afterwards, he lost his emotions as he thanked all the fans for their support.