Quick Look at the 2018 U.S. Open

Quick Look at 2018 U.S. Open

This week the PGA Tour will be playing the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southhampton, New York.

U.S. Open History

The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is an annual major on the PGA Tournament schedule. It is the second of the four major championships in golf. The United States Golf Association (USGA) oversees the event. The Open is hosted in mid-June, with the final round being played on the third Sunday, Father’s Day. The U.S. Open has been played at a variety of courses and is set up in a way that scoring is very difficult.

The First U.S. Open

The first U.S. Open was played October 4, 1895, on a nine-hole course at Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island. They played a 36 hold competition, all in one day! The winner was Horace Rawlins, a 21-year-old Englishman, who come to the States for a job at the host club. Initially, the tournament was dominated by more experienced British players. In 1911 John J. McDermott became the first native-born American to win the event.

Since 1950, a player from six countries other than the United States have won the event. The most notable is, South Africa, which has won the event 5 times since 1965. In 2010 Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland became the first European player to win the event since Tony Jacklin of England in 1970. Only 3 Americans won from 2004 – 2014.

U.S. Open Characteristics

U.S. Open play is characterized by tight scoring, with the winner typically shooting around even par. Normally, the host course for the Open is long (off the tees), very high rough (termed by many as “Open rough” and undulating greens. In 2005 Johnny Miller described the Open greens at Pinehurst No. 2 as “like trying to hit a ball on top of a VW Beetle.”

The fairways are typically pinched, especially on the “easier” holes of the event. Some courses that are trying to join the Open rotation will undergo large renovations to try and host the event. Rees Jones has been dubbed the “Open Doctor” as he typically takes on the renovation projects, his father Robert Trent Jones previously served in that role.

U.S. Open Courses

Course/State/Region No. Years hosted State
Oakmont Country Club 9 2016, 2007,1994,1983,1973, 1962,1953,1935,1927 PA
Baltusrol Golf Club 7 1993,1980,1967,1954,1936,1915,1903 NJ
Oakland Hills Country Club 6 1996,1985,1961,1951,1937,1924 MI
Merion Golf Club 5 2013,1981,1971,1950,1934 PA
Olympic Club 5 2012,1998,1987,1966,1955 CA
Pebble Beach Golf Links 5 2010,2000,1992,1982,1972 CA
 Winged Foot Golf Club 5 2006,1984,1974,1959,1929 NY
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club 5 2018,2004,1995,1986,1896 NY
Inverness Club 4 1979,1957,1931,1920 OH
Myopia Hunt Club 4 1908,1905,1901,1898 MA
Pinehurt Resort 3 2014,2005,1999 NC
Congressional Country Club 3 2011,1997,1964 MD
Southern Hills Country Club 3 2001,1977,1958 OK
Medinah Country Club 3 1990,1975,1949 IL
Oak Hill Country Club 3 1989,1968,1956 NY
Cherry Hills Country Club 3 1978,1960,1938 CO
The Country Club 3 1988,1963,1913 MA
Chicago Golf Club 3 1911,1900,1897 IL
 Bethpage State Park 2 2009,2002 NY
Olympia Fields Country Club 2 2003,1928 IL
Hazeltine National Golf Club 2 1991,1970 MN
Canterbury Golf Club 2 1946,1940 OH
Philadelphia Cricket Club 2 1910,1907 PA
Chambers Bay 1 2015 WA
Torrey Pines Golf Course 1 2008 CA
Atlanta Athletic Club 1 1976 GA
Champions Golf Club 1 1969 TX
Bellerive Country Club 1 1965 MO
Northwood Club 1 1952 TX
Riviera Country Club 1 1948 CA
St. Louis Country Club 1 1947 MO
Erin Hills 1 2017 WI
Colonial Country Club 1 1941 TX
Philadelphia Country Club 1 1939 PA
North Shore Country Club 1 1933 IL
Fresh Meadow Country Club 1 1932 NY
Interlachen Country Club 1 1930 MN
Scioto Country Club 1 1926 OH
Worcester Country Club 1 1925 MA
Inwood Country Club 1 1923 NY
Skokie Country Club 1 1922 IL
Columbia Country Club 1 1921 MD
Brae Burn Country Club 1 1919 MA
The Minikahda Club 1 1916 MN
Midlothian Country Club 1 1914 IL
Country Club of Buffalo 1 1912 NY
Englewood Golf Club 1 1909 NJ
Onwentsia Club 1 1906 IL
Glen View Club 1 1904 IL
Garden City Golf Club 1 1902 NY
Baltimore Country Club 1 1899 MD
Newport Country Club 1 1895 RI

 

Shinnecock Hills Golf Club History

Edward Meade and Duncan Cryder founded Shinnecock Hills. They purchased the parcel of land (80 acres) for $2,500. They were able to get 44 members to sign up for $100 each. Willie Davis designed a 12 hole course that opened in summer of 1891. The clubhouse was designed in 1902 by Stanford White, it is believed to be the oldest golf clubhouse in the United States. During 1893 they opened a 9 hole ladies only course at Shinnecock. In 1894, Willie Dunn added six more holes bringing the total to 18. 

Shinnecock and the U.S. Open

In 1895, Shinnecock was one of five founding clubs of the USGA, which held the first U.S. Open in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1896 the course hosted the second U.S. Open, many scored below 80 in the event leading to demands to increase its difficulty. The ladies course was turned over in 1901 to allowed for lengthening and redesign of the property.  The redesign in 1901 was completed by Charles B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor. In 1937 William Flynn redesigned the course again. 

2018 U.S. Open Viewers Guide

Starting at 7:40 a.m EST Brooks Koepka will begin the defense of his U.S. Open title.

  • Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas & Dustin Johnson will tee off at 1:47 p.m on Thursday & 8:02 a.m Friday.
  • Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth & Rory McIlroy tee off 8:02 a.m Thursday off of the 10th tee
  • Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm & Rafael Cabrera Bello tee of 1:14 p.m Thursday
  • Patrick Reed, Zach Johnson & Charl Schwartzel tee off 7:51 a.m Thursday

The first tee time is 6:45 a.m on Thursday and Friday, they will run through 2:42 p.m.

Thursday – 9:30 – 4:30 FS1 / 4:30 – 7:30 Fox

Friday – 10:00 – 4:30 FS1 / 4:30 – 7:30 Fox

Saturday – 11:00 – 7:30 Fox / 4:00 – 7:30 Fox Deportes

Sunday – 10:00 – 7:00 Fox / 4:00 – 7:00 Fox Deportes

2018 U.S. Open/Shinnecock Hills Photo Gallery

2018 US Open 2018 US Open 2018 US Open

2018 US Open 2018 US Open

 

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