Oakmont, PA—2016 marks my 30th U.S. Open in covering this year’s championship at Oakmont Country Club—the tour de force facility located just several miles north of downtown Pittsburgh, PA. The famed club serves a record 9th time as the host venue for the national championship of American golf. This marks the fourth time I have covered a U.S. Open from Oakmont—the earlier times coming in ‘83, ’94, and ‘07.
There are a number of key courses that have been host to the U.S. Open but in my mind only three are worthy in being among the elite trio—Pebble Beach, Shinnecock Hills and Oakmont. The aforementioned troika deserves to host the second oldest major at least once every ten years.
Oakmont has crowned notable winners of the USGA champions through the years—names such as Tommy Armour, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Larry Nelson, Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera, Patty Sheehan and Paula Creamer are among its roster of superb champions. The lone unknown winner came in 1935 when Sam Parks won the National Open—the only competitor to break 300. But it was the 1973 U.S. Open that brought to center stage one of the most electric moments in all of championship golf. A 26-year-old golfer from California named Johnny Miller fired a record 8-under-par 63 in the final round to leapfrog a stellar leaderboard and claim the title.
