In fewer than 100 days, many of the top golfers in the world will be at historic Oakmont Country Club teeing it up for the U.S. Open.
It will be a record 10th time the tournament will be held at the famous venue, and each time a different story has been written.
Oakmont has hosted 17 USGA Championships. Eight of the winners have been enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Whether it was Johnny Miller’s record 63 in the final round of the 1973 U.S. Open, local legend Sam Parks Jr.’s win in 1935, the grueling 18-hole playoff involving Collin Montgomerie, Ernie Els and Loren Roberts in 1994 or Angel Cabrera’s triumph in 2007 when he was the only player to finish under par, the Open features many memorable moments.
But for Western Pennsylvania golf fans, nothing will top the 1962 playoff battle between Jack Nicklaus and Latrobe native Arnold Palmer or Palmer’s famous last walk up No. 18 in 1994.
“The victory by Jack kick-started his career,” said Mike Trostel, director of the USGA Museum and World Golf Hall of Fame. “It was the first of 18 major championships for him.
“There are so many memories that the U.S. Open has offered, especially at Oakmont. I’m eager to see what memorable moment will occur this year.”
Trostel was in Pittsburgh on Tuesday with the U.S. Open trophy promoting the tournament that will begin June 12.
“A couple things make the U.S. Open special,” Trostel said. “The first thing is its great history. The championship that goes back to 1895. It’s America’s national championship.
“It’s openness that makes it special. It’s a championship that 10,000 dreamers sign up for every year open for any age, any nationality and background and have an opportunity to win. Half of the field is made up of qualifiers. They can go to one of the 109 qualifying spots.”
Tommy Armour was the first U.S. Open winner at Oakmont in 1927.
Ben Hogan was the third winner in 1953 as part of his Triple Crown season, and then came the famous Nicklaus/Palmer showdown.
Other winners include Larry Nelson, who made a 60-foot birdie putt on No. 16 in 1994, and Dustin Johnson in 2016.
One thing Trostel said you won’t see at Oakmont this summer is low scores. The U.S. Open will have fast greens, thick rough and challenging pin locations.
“You see a lot of 20- to 25-under winning scores on the PGA Tour,” Trostel said. “That is not going to be the case at Oakmont. I can’t predict what the exact winning score will be, but you know it is going to be a really tough test with long rough, firm, fast fairways and greens.”
The club has made major improvements to the course by remaking bunkers, adding length and opening new pin locations on greens.
“Gil Hans was here and made major renovations, restorations to the course and revamped the practice area,” Trostel said of Oakmont Country Club, which also will host the U.S. Open in 2033, ’42 and ’49. “It opens up more space for them to put holes on greens. One thing about Oakmont, the course is almost always Open ready. The only things they might have to do is slow down the greens.”
Trostel said not only is the course in fantastic shape, but the clubhouse is like a museum with its rich history.