This year is the sixth time the US Open will be played at Pebble Beach. Here’s what happened on the five previous occasions…
1972
The average final-round score was 78.8. Jack Nicklaus led from start to finish, but in howling conditions that dried out the greens, his three-shot lead wasn’t secure until he hit one of the most famous shots in golf – a 1-iron on the 17th resulting in a tap-in birdie. Nicklaus shot a final-round 74 to finish at two-over 290, three ahead of Bruce Crampton. and four strokes clear of Arnold Palmer. The win was Nicklaus’ 11th Major.
1982
Tom Watson was tied for the final-round lead with Nicklaus as he stood over a chip on the 17th in bushy kikuyu rough. Caddie Bruce Edwards encouraged Watson to get it close. Watson fired back, ‘I’m going to sink it.’ Watson did, and burst into an impromptu victory lap around the green. With Nicklaus already in the clubhouse, Watson only needed a par to clinch victory. But for good measure, he sunk a 20-foot birdie putt to win by two.
1992
The average final-round score was 77.3. That made Tom Kite’s level 72 all the more impressive. What’s more, with Colin Montgomerie holding the clubhouse lead at even-par, Nicklaus congratulated the Scot for winning his first US Open. But Kite’s steady play through 65kmh gusts of wind gave him a four-shot lead with four holes to go, and he held on for a two-stroke win to capture his first Major.
2000
With the US Open celebrating its 100th playing at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Tiger Woods put on a show for the ages. Woods was ruthlessly dominant, tying or setting nine US Open records – including the biggest lead after two rounds (six shots), three rounds (10 shots) and four rounds (15 shots). He did not three-putt all week, while one-putting 34 of the 72 greens. Woods tied the all-time scoring record at a US Open (-12) when no one else broke par.
2010
As a boy growing up along the rugged Portrush peninsula in Northern Ireland, Graeme McDowell would fantasise that he had two putts to win the US Open. He lived out that dream, two-putting for par to capture the 2010 US Open. The 30-year-old posted an even-par 284 to hold off a leaderboard that included Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Dustin Johnson to win his first Major.
