Through The Years at Oakmont
108th U.S. Open, June 14-17, Oakmont Country Club
By Joe Giardina and Tony DeFazio

For the eighth time in its 107 year history, the U.S. Open will be played at legendary Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, PA. Few other courses in the United States have the tradition of Oakmont, and none have hosted more major championships. In addition to seven previous Opens, Oakmont has also hosted five U.S. Amateurs, three PGA Championships, and one U.S. Women's Open.

Henry C. Fownes, who designed Oakmont - his only venture in golf course design - founded the club in 1903. The course is consistently rated among the top 10 courses in the United States, ranked by Golf Digest No. 5 in its most recent rankings of America's Top 100 golf courses.

Oakmont's hard and slick greens slope away from the player; and the tight fairways require the utmost precision, but the course is perhaps best known for its vaunted Church Pews - a series of grass-covered bunkers that Bobby Jones once called "the best test of championship golf" in the United States.

1927 - A recently turned professional nicknamed the Silver Scot, 33-year-old Tommy Armour sank a 10-foot putt for birdie on the last green to force a playoff with Harry Cooper. Their scores of 301 were 31-over par and the highest championship scores in modern day golf - a testament to the terrors of Oakmont. Amour went on to win the 18-hole playoff 76 to 79.

1935 - Bellevue native Sam Parks, a recent convert from the amateur ranks and unknown nationally, came from behind to defeat Jimmy Thomson and capture the U.S. Open. Parks, the professional at the nearby South Hills Country Club, was the only player to negotiate Oakmont's furrowed bunkers and shaved greens in less than 300. His 299 was 11 over par for the tournament.

1953 - Texas native Ben Hogan turned in one of the best years in the history of golf in 1953, winning five of the six tournaments he entered and the first three major championships of the year - a feat now known as the Hogan Slam. He dominated Oakmont in that watershed year, leading at the end of every round, which had not been done in 32 years. He won his fourth Open by six strokes, the widest margin of victory in the tournament in 15 years.

1962 - The world of professional golf changed forever in June, 1962, when a 22-year-old rookie from Columbus, Ohio slayed the King on his home turf. In his first year as a professional, Jack Nicklaus won not only his first major, but his first four victory of any kind. With Arnie's Army cheering for Palmer, and taunting Nicklaus with catcalls of "fatso" throughout the tournament, the Golden Bear defeated the legendary Palmer in an 18-hole playoff as Palmer folded down the stretch, three-putting a total of 11 times. The 1962 U.S. Open was also a defining moment for golf as a spectator sport, as the three-day attendance was 62, 300 - far ahead of the previous record of 47,975, set a year earlier. Said Palmer of Nicklaus' win: "Now that the big guy's out of the cage, everybody better run for cover."

1973 - In 1973 Oakmont again played host to one of the greatest and most memorable moments in the history of the sport. Heading into the final round, Johnny Miller was in twelfth place, trailing Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Gary Player, among others.

Miller came out of the gate on Sunday with laser-like iron play, birdying the first four holes - each in more dramatic fashion than the last. After sinking a 25-foot putt at No. 3 for his third straight birdie, he blasted from out of a bunker for his third shot and watched the ball roll within six inches of the hole on the par five No. 4. Miller went out in 32 and came home in 31 for an astounding record 63. On the back nine he birdied Nos. 11, 12, 13, and 15. The last of those followed a 4 iron to 10 feet and catapulted him into a tie for the lead with Julius Boros, Palmer and Tom Weiskopf. Miller hit every green in regulation as he painted a masterpiece that Sunday afternoon. The average length of his astounding eight birdie putts was just 12 feet.

"It was the greatest round of golf in my life by a mile," said Miller years later. "Every shot I hit wasn't more than two feet off the line. It was a pretty phenomenal feeling."

However, it wasn't until John Schlee missed a 40-foot chip for birdie on the 18th hole that Miller finally clinched the victory, defeating Schlee by one stroke. Those who saw Miller play that day knew they were witnessing something special.

Lanny Wadkins, who played in the group in front of Miller, shot a terrific round of 65, but knew it most likely would not be enough, given the magic of what was occurring behind him

"I came off the last green, Johnny was playing right behind me, and the reporters wanted to talk to me, and I said, 'I think you're going to want to talk to the guy behind me. He's probably your winner. I need to get out of the way.'"

Some have since noted that the rainy conditions made the course easier that afternoon, but Nicklaus is quick to counter, ""As far as I can recall, there weren't a whole lot of other low numbers that day."

The Golden Bear's memory is dead-on, as just five players bettered par 71, including Nicklaus himself, who carded a 68 to finish tied for fourth. "It was certainly one of the finest rounds of championship golf ever played," said Nicklaus.

The implements with which Miller made U.S. Open history are now part of the World Golf Hall of Fame, as Miller donated to the hall the set of clubs that he used that afternoon.

1983 - In a tight, rainy Open that saw just three golfers break par, Larry Nelson dominated the last 36 holes on Saturday and Sunday to defeat reigning champ Tom Watson by one stroke. Nelson-who trailed by seven strokes at the halfway point-played the final 36 in 132, ten strokes under par. His two-round total of 132 has been matched six times but never bettered.

Rain caused play to be interrupted several times during the tournament, and two spectators were struck by lightning.

1994 - "I was hot and I'm from South Africa," says Ernie Els today of his 1994 U.S. Open championship, won after a three way playoff in the oppressive heat, which many believe was the hottest U.S. Open ever.

After 72 holes, the 24-year-old Els was tied with Colin Montgomerie and Loren Roberts. Bogeys by Els on 16 and 18 made it appear as if the youngster's inexperience was getting to him, especially after he started with a bogey and a triple on Monday. He steadied to shoot a 38 and hit the turn tied with Roberts, while Montgomerie ballooned to a 42. Monty excused himself with a 78 after the 18-hole playoff, while Roberts and Els remained tied with 74's.

After tying the first hole of a sudden death round, Els finished Roberts off by shooting par to capture his first U.S. Open.

"Every day it felt like 100 degrees, never a breeze and all that humidity," Els commented later. "I figured the weather would be to my advantage, but the whole thing is pretty fuzzy to me…maybe I was closer to passing out than I thought.

"It was the toughest, most grueling week of golf I've ever had," he continued. "It reminded me of my time in the Air Force back home - you're ready to faint and they tell you 'Wait, you've got two more laps.'"