When you think about the U.S. Open, you probably picture guys in polos sweating over knee-knocker par putts on greens as hard as your kitchen floor. It's the "toughest test in golf." Honestly, that’s because the USGA—the folks who run the show—usually wants the winning score to be right around even par. They want the players to suffer just a little bit.
But looking back at the list of us open golf championship past winners, the real story isn't just about who survived. It's about the weird, legendary, and sometimes heartbreaking ways they actually won.
The Mount Rushmore of the U.S. Open
Only four men have ever won this thing four times. It’s an exclusive club. You’ve got Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus.
Willie Anderson is the name most casual fans forget, but he did something no one else has: he won three in a row from 1903 to 1905. Think about that for a second. The equipment back then was basically sticks and rocks compared to today, and he still went back-to-back-to-back.
Then there’s Bobby Jones. He won his four as an amateur. Imagine some guy who doesn't even play for money showing up today and beating Scottie Scheffler or Brooks Koepka. It sounds impossible now.
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Ben Hogan’s wins are the stuff of movies. Specifically, his 1950 win at Merion. Just 16 months before that, he was in a head-on collision with a Greyhound bus. Doctors said he might never walk again, let alone play. He ended up hitting a legendary 1-iron on the 72nd hole to force a playoff he eventually won. Pure grit.
Jack Nicklaus, the "Golden Bear," rounded out the group with his fourth win in 1980 at Baltusrol. He was 40 years old then, and people thought he was washed up. He shot a record-breaking 272 and proved everyone wrong.
When the Records Shattered
Most years, the USGA gets their wish and the scores are high. But every once in a while, a player just... breaks the course.
Take Rory McIlroy in 2011 at Congressional. It was like he was playing a different game. He finished at 16-under-par (268), which was a total outlier at the time. He didn't just win; he demolished the field by eight shots.
- Lowest 72-Hole Score: Rory McIlroy (268 in 2011)
- Lowest Score to Par: Rory McIlroy (-16) and Brooks Koepka (-16 in 2017)
- Oldest Winner: Hale Irwin (45 years old in 1990)
- Youngest Winner: John McDermott (19 years old in 1911)
Brooks Koepka’s run in 2017 and 2018 was also something else. He became the first person since Curtis Strange (1988-89) to win back-to-back. Koepka basically turned the U.S. Open into his personal playground for two years, using raw power to bully courses that were supposed to be "un-bullyable."
Tiger Woods and the "Broken Leg" Miracle
We have to talk about 2008 at Torrey Pines. If you ask any golf fan about us open golf championship past winners, this is the one they’ll mention first.
Tiger Woods was playing on a torn ACL and a fractured leg. You could see him wincing and nearly collapsing after some drives. He forced an 18-hole playoff against Rocco Mediate with a birdie on the final hole of regulation. Then they had to go to a 19th hole (sudden death) the next day before Tiger finally won. It was probably the most legendary display of "mind over matter" in sports history.
Funny enough, Tiger also holds the record for the most dominant win ever. In 2000 at Pebble Beach, he won by 15 strokes. Fifteen! Second place was Ernie Els and Miguel Ángel Jiménez, and they weren't even in the same zip code. Tiger finished at 12-under, and they finished at 3-over.
The Modern Era: Bryson’s Redemption
Fast forward to 2024 at Pinehurst No. 2. Bryson DeChambeau won his second U.S. Open in a way that felt very "Payne Stewart-ish."
It was Father’s Day. Bryson was battling Rory McIlroy down the stretch. Rory actually had the lead but missed two short putts that will haunt him forever. Bryson ended up in a nasty bunker on the 18th hole. He hit what he called the "shot of his life"—a 55-yard bunker blast to four feet—and drained the putt to win.
He joins a list of 23 players who have won this trophy more than once. It’s a short list, and honestly, it’s the list that defines a golfer’s legacy.
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What You Can Learn from the Champions
Looking at the history of these winners, a few patterns emerge that apply to more than just golf:
- Patience is a weapon. The winners aren't always the guys making the most birdies. They’re the guys making the fewest "disaster" holes.
- Short memory helps. Like Rory in 2011 (who had just collapsed at the Masters months earlier) or Hogan after his crash, the best players don't let past failures dictate their current round.
- Clutch is a skill. Whether it's Watson's chip-in at Pebble in '82 or Bryson's bunker shot in '24, the U.S. Open is won by whoever can execute under the most disgusting amount of pressure.
To really get a feel for the history, you should check out the USGA’s official film archives on YouTube—specifically "Perfection at Pebble" regarding Tiger’s 2000 win. It’s basically a horror movie for the rest of the field. You can also look into the "Miracle at Merion" to see just how different the game was in Hogan's era.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to dive deeper into the stats, head over to the official U.S. Open website and look at the scoring averages by year. You’ll see exactly how the USGA "protects" par and which years the players actually got the upper hand.