The US Open is one of golf’s biggest spectacles, and The Sport Review provides you with everything you need to know about the iconic tournament.
Since its inception in 1895, the prestigious tournament has played host to the world’s best golfers.
Hundreds of players battle it out every June for the illustrious Wanamaker Trophy – each looking to write their name into history.
The competition has given birth to some truly memorable moments over the years, with golfing icons such as Jack Nichalus and Tiger Woods dazzling the field.
It’s a tournament no golf fan can miss, and here at The Sport Review, we have all the vital US Open information you need.
US Open history
The US Open is the oldest major championship in America, with many viewing the tournament as golf’s most iconic tournament behind the Masters.
The competition was first formed in 1895 by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and has been held annually ever since. Three years after its formation, it would move to the 72-hole format we still see today.
With popularity rising in the early 1900s, the competition had to start holding regional qualifying tournaments from 1924 to keep participation manageable for organisers.
125 editions later, the US Open now attracts the world’s best golfers every June, even earning itself the label of golf’s toughest major, due to its challenging course setup and testing of players’ abilities.
Where does the US Open take place?
The US Open does not have a fixed home, with the tournament changing location every year. It takes place across the country, often being held at America’s best golf courses.
Previous years have seen the competition be located at esteemed venues such as Pinehurst, Pebble Beach and Oakmont.
Who are the past winners of the US Open golf tournament?
US Open Winners List
| Year | Champion | Score | Course |
| 2024 | Bryson DeChambeau | 274 (-6) | Pinehurst Resort & C.C. |
| 2023 | Wyndham Clark | 270 (-10) | The Los Angeles C.C. |
| 2022 | Matt Fitzpatrick | 274 (-6) | The Country Club |
| 2021 | Jon Rahm | 278 (-6) | Torrey Pines G.C. |
| 2020 | Bryson DeChambeau | 274 (-6) | Winged Foot G.C. |
| 2019 | Gary Woodland | 271 (-13) | Pebble Beach Golf Links |
| 2018 | Brooks Koepka | 281 (+1) | Shinnecock Hills G.C. |
| 2017 | Brooks Koepka | 272 (-16) | Erin Hills |
| 2016 | Dustin Johnson | 276 (-4) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 2015 | Jordan Spieth | 275 (-5) | Chambers Bay |
| 2014 | Martin Kaymer | 271 (-9) | Pinehurst Resort & C.C. |
| 2013 | Justin Rose | 281 (+1) | Merion G.C. |
| 2012 | Webb Simpson | 281 (+1) | The Olympic Club |
| 2011 | Rory McIlroy | 268 (-16) | Congressional C.C. |
| 2010 | Graeme McDowell | 284 (E) | Pebble Beach G.L. |
| 2009 | Lucas Glover | 276 (-4) | Bethpage State Park |
| 2008 | Tiger Woods* | 281 (-1) | Torrey Pines G.C. |
| 2007 | Angel Cabrera | 285 (+5) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 2006 | Geoff Ogilvy | 285 (+5) | Winged Foot G.C. |
| 2005 | Michael Campbell | 280 (E) | Pinehurst Resort & C.C. |
| 2004 | Retief Goosen | 276 (-4) | Shinnecock Hills G.C. |
| 2003 | Jim Furyk | 272 (-8) | Olympia Fields C.C. |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods | 277 (-3) | Bethpage State Park |
| 2001 | Retief Goosen* | 276 (-4) | Southern Hills C.C. |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods | 272 (-12) | Pebble Beach G.L. |
| 1999 | Payne Stewart | 279 (-1) | Pinehurst R. & C.C. |
| 1998 | Lee Janzen | 280 (E) | The Olympic Club |
| 1997 | Ernie Els | 276 (-4) | Congressional C.C. |
| 1996 | Steve Jones | 278 (-2) | Oakland Hills C.C. |
| 1995 | Corey Pavin | 280 (E) | Shinnecock Hills G.C. |
| 1994 | Ernie Els* | 279 (-5) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 1993 | Lee Janzen | 272 (-8) | Baltusrol G.C. |
| 1992 | Tom Kite | 285 (-3) | Pebble Beach G.L. |
| 1991 | Payne Stewart | 282 (-6) | Hazeltine National G.C. |
| 1990 | Hale Irwin* | 280 (-8) | Medinah C.C. |
| 1989 | Curtis Strange | 278 (-2) | Oak Hill C.C. |
| 1988 | Curtis Strange* | 278 (-6) | The Country Club |
| 1987 | Scott Simpson | 277 (-3) | The Olympic Club |
| 1986 | Raymond Floyd | 279 (-1) | Shinnecock Hills G.C. |
| 1985 | Andy North | 279 (-1) | Oakland Hills C.C. |
| 1984 | Fuzzy Zoeller* | 276 (-4) | Winged Foot G.C. |
| 1983 | Larry Nelson | 280 (-4) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 1982 | Tom Watson | 282 (-6) | Pebble Beach G.L. |
| 1981 | David Graham | 273 (-7) | Merion G.C. |
| 1980 | Jack Nicklaus | 272 (-8) | Baltusrol G.C. |
| 1979 | Hale Irwin | 284 (E) | Inverness Club |
| 1978 | Andy North | 285 (+1) | Cherry Hills C.C. |
| 1977 | Hubert Green | 278 (-2) | Southern Hills C.C. |
| 1976 | Jerry Pate | 277 (-3) | Atlanta Athletic Club |
| 1975 | Lou Graham* | 287 (+3) | Medinah C.C. |
| 1974 | Hale Irwin | 287 (+7) | Winged Foot G.C. |
| 1973 | Johnny Miller | 279 (-5) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus | 290 (+2) | Pebble Beach G.L. |
| 1971 | Lee Trevino* | 280 (E) | Merion G.C. |
| 1970 | Tony Jacklin | 281 (-7) | Hazeltine National G.C. |
| 1969 | Orville Moody | 281 (+1) | Champions G.C. |
| 1968 | Lee Trevino | 275 (-5) | Oak Hill C.C. |
| 1967 | Jack Nicklaus | 275 (-5) | Baltusrol G.C. |
| 1966 | Billy Casper Jr.* | 278 (-2) | The Olympic Club |
| 1965 | Gary Player* | 282 (+2) | Bellerive C.C. |
| 1964 | Ken Venturi | 278 (-2) | Congressional C.C. |
| 1963 | Julius Boros* | 293 (+9) | The Country Club |
| 1962 | Jack Nicklaus* | 283 (-1) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 1961 | Gene Littler | 281 (+1) | Oakland Hills C.C. |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer | 280 (-4) | Cherry Hills C.C. |
| 1959 | Billy Casper Jr. | 282 (+2) | Winged Foot G.C. |
| 1958 | Tommy Bolt | 283 (+3) | Southern Hills C.C. |
| 1957 | Dick Mayer* | 282 (+2) | Inverness Club |
| 1956 | Cary Middlecoff | 281 (+1) | Oak Hill C.C. |
| 1955 | Jack Fleck* | 287 (+7) | The Olympic Club |
| 1954 | Ed Furgol | 284 (+4) | Baltusrol G.C. |
| 1953 | Ben Hogan | 283 (-5) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 1952 | Julius Boros | 281 (+1) | Northwood Club |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan | 287 (+7) | Oakland Hills C.C. |
| 1950 | Ben Hogan* | 287 (+7) | Merion G.C. |
| 1949 | Cary Middlecoff | 286 (+2) | Medinah C.C. |
| 1948 | Ben Hogan | 276 (-8) | Riviera C.C. |
| 1947 | Lew Worsham* | 282 (-2) | St. Louis C.C. |
| 1946 | Lloyd Mangrum* | 284 (-4) | Canterbury G.C. |
| 1945 | No championship – World War II | ||
| 1944 | No championship – World War II | ||
| 1943 | No championship – World War II | ||
| 1942 | No championship – World War II | ||
| 1941 | Craig Wood | 284 (+4) | Colonial C.C. |
| 1940 | Lawson Little* | 287 (-1) | Canterbury G.C. |
| 1939 | Byron Nelson* | 284 (+8) | Philadelphia C.C. |
| 1938 | Ralph Guldahl | 284 (E) | Cherry Hills C.C. |
| 1937 | Ralph Guldahl | 281 (-7) | Oakland Hills C.C. |
| 1936 | Tony Manero | 282 (-6) | Baltusrol G.C. |
| 1935 | Sam Parks Jr. | 299 (+11) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 1934 | Olin Dutra | 293 (+13) | Merion Cricket Club |
| 1933 | (a)-Johnny Goodman | 287 (-1) | North Shore G.C. |
| 1932 | Gene Sarazen | 286 (+6) | Fresh Meadow C.C. |
| 1931 | Billy Burke* | 292 (+8) | Inverness Club |
| 1930 | (a)-Bob Jones | 287 (-1) | Interlachen C.C. |
| 1929 | (a)-Bob Jones* | 294 (+6) | Winged Foot G.C. |
| 1928 | Johnny Farrell* | 294 (+10) | Olympia Fields C.C. |
| 1927 | Tommy Armour* | 301 (+13) | Oakmont C.C. |
| 1926 | (a)-Bob Jones | 293 (+5) | Scioto C.C. |
| 1925 | William Macfarlane* | 291 (+7) | Worcester C.C. |
| 1924 | Cyril Walker | 297 (+9) | Oakland Hills C.C. |
| 1923 | (a)-Bob Jones* | 296 (+8) | Inwood C.C. |
| 1922 | Gene Sarazen | 288 (+8) | Skokie C.C. |
| 1921 | James M. Barnes | 289 (+9) | Columbia C.C. |
| 1920 | Edward Ray | 295 (+7) | Inverness Club |
| 1919 | Walter Hagen | 301 (+17) | Brae Burn C.C. |
| 1918 | No championship – World War I | ||
| 1917 | No championship – World War I | ||
| 1916 | (a)-Charles Evans Jr. | 286 (-2) | Minikahda Club |
| 1915 | (a)-Jerome D. Travers | 297 (+9) | Baltusrol G.C. |
| 1914 | Walter Hagen | 290 (+2) | Midlothian C.C. |
| 1913 | (a)-Francis Ouimet* | 304 (+20) | The Country Club |
| 1912 | John J. McDermott | 294 (-2) | C.C. of Buffalo |
| 1911 | John J. McDermott* | 307 (+3) | Chicago G.C. |
| 1910 | Alex Smith* | 298 (+6) | Philadelphia Cricket Club |
| 1909 | George Sargent | 290 | Englewood G.C. |
| 1908 | Fred McLeod* | 322 | Myopia Hunt Club |
| 1907 | Alex Ross | 302 | Philadelphia Cricket Club |
| 1906 | Alex Smith | 295 | Onwentsia Club |
| 1905 | Willie Anderson | 314 | Myopia Hunt Club |
| 1904 | Willie Anderson | 303 | Glen View Club |
| 1903 | Willie Anderson* | 307 | Baltusrol G.C. |
| 1902 | Laurence Auchterlonie | 307 | Garden City G.C. |
| 1901 | Willie Anderson* | 331 | Myopia Hunt Club |
| 1900 | Harry Vardon | 313 | Chicago G.C. |
| 1899 | Willie Smith | 315 | Baltimore C.C. |
| 1898 | Fred Herd | 328 | Myopia Hunt Club |
| 1897 | Joe Lloyd | 162# | Chicago G.C. |
| 1896 | James Foulis | 152# | Shinnecock Hills G.C. |
| 1895 | Horace Rawlins | 173# | Newport G.C. |
Which golfer has the most US Open wins?
When it comes to ranking the most successful player in US Open history, that accolade actually goes to four players.
Jack Nicklaus, Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan have all won the prestigious tournament on four occasions.
Tiger Woods and Hale Irwin are one behind on three wins, with LIV Golf stars Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka both tied on two championships.
Who is the oldest golfer to win the US Open?
Golf is often perceived as a young man’s game. Hale Irwin, however, would prove as an exception, winning the tournament back in 1990.
At 45 years old, Irwin’s play-off win at Medinah would make him the oldest golfer in history to win the US Open.
Who is the youngest golfer to win the US Open?
The accolade of youngest US Open champion goes to John McDermott, who won the tournament in 1911 at just 19 years old.
McDermott would actually go back-to-back and win the US Open again a year later, meaning he ranks as both the youngest and fourth-youngest champion in competition history.
What is the prize money for the US Open?
Investment in golf has skyrocketed over recent years, and this has been replicated in the US Open’s staggering prize money.
For example, after lifting the trophy in 2024, Bryson DeChambeau netted a whopping $4.3 million (£3.1 million), which is the highest total in tournament history.