1951 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 14–16, 1951
LocationBloomfield Hills, Michigan
Course(s)Oakland Hills Country Club
South Course
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par70
Length6,927 yards (6,334 m)[1]
Field160 players, 55 after cut
Cut152 (+12)
Winner's share$4,000
Champion
United States Ben Hogan
287 (+7)
Oakland Hills Country Club is located in the United States
Oakland Hills Country Club
Oakland Hills Country Club
Location in the United States
Oakland Hills Country Club is located in Michigan
Oakland Hills Country Club
Oakland Hills Country Club
Location in Michigan

The 1951 U.S. Open was the 51st U.S. Open, held June 14–16 at the South Course of Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit. Ben Hogan won his second consecutive U.S. Open title, two strokes ahead of runner-up Clayton Heafner. Hogan missed the 1949 U.S. Open due to an automobile accident; this was his third title in his last three attempts.[1]

The South Course, dubbed "The Monster," played exceptionally tough for the first three rounds. No player was able to break par the first two days, and Jimmy Demaret's 70 was the only score to equal par in Saturday morning's third round. Sam Snead owned the first round lead at 71 (+1), while Bobby Locke led after the second round at 144 (+4) and shared the lead with Demaret after the third at 218 (+8).

Two strokes back after a 71 in the third round on Saturday morning, Hogan played one of the finest rounds in U.S. Open history that afternoon. Even-par on the front nine, he birdied the 10th and 13th holes. After a bogey at 14, he responded with another birdie at 15. At the 72nd hole, Hogan hit his approach shot on the par-4 to 15 feet (5 m) and sank the birdie putt to post a 67 (−3), the lowest round of the week, one of two sub-par rounds for the round (and championship).[2] His 287 (+7) was two ahead of Heafner, who shot 69, the only other round under 70. At the trophy presentation, Hogan uttered the famous quote: "I'm glad I brought this course—this monster—to its knees."[3]

This was the first U.S. Open that was notably toughened up by the USGA with narrow fairways and deep rough, attributing to "The Monster" nickname. The course also underwent a redesign by Robert Trent Jones prior to the championship, modifying the original Donald Ross design.[4]

The South Course previously hosted the U.S. Open in 1924 and 1937; the winning score in 1937 was 281, sixteen strokes less than in 1924.[4] It later hosted in 1961, 1985, and 1996, and the PGA Championship in 1972, 1979, and 2008.

Since Hogan repeated as champion in 1951, only Curtis Strange (1988, 1989) and Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018) have won consecutive U.S. Open titles.

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 14, 1951

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States Sam Snead71+1
T2United States Al Besselink72+2
United States Clayton Heafner
T4United States Sam Bernardi73+3
United States Al Brosch
United States Sammy Byrd
United States Dutch Harrison
United States Charles Klein
South Africa Bobby Locke
United States Johnny Palmer
United States Smiley Quick
United States Paul Runyan
United States Denny Shute

Source:[5]

Second round

Friday, June 15, 1951

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1South Africa Bobby Locke73-71=144+4
2United States Dave Douglas75-70=145+5
3United States Bo Wininger (a)75-71=146+6
T4United States Al Brosch73-74=147+7
United States Clayton Heafner72-75=147
United States Charles Klein73-74=147
United States Paul Runyan73-74=147
United States Lew Worsham76-71=147
T9United States Julius Boros74-74=148+8
United States Jimmy Demaret74-74=148
United States Fred Hawkins76-72=148
United States George Kinsman75-73=148
United States Henry Ransom74-74=148
United States Earl Stewart74-74=148
United States Craig Wood76-72=148

Source:[6]

Third round

Saturday, June 16, 1951 (morning)

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1United States Jimmy Demaret74-74-70=218+8
South Africa Bobby Locke73-71-74=218
T3United States Julius Boros74-74-71=219+9
United States Paul Runyan73-74-72=219
T5United States Dave Douglas75-70-75=220+10
United States Clayton Heafner72-75-73=220
United States Ben Hogan76-73-71=220
8United States Al Besselink72-77-72=221+11
T9United States Johnny Revolta78-72-72=222+12
United States Skee Riegel75-76-71=222

Source:[7]

Final round

Saturday, June 16, 1951 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney ($)
1United States Ben Hogan76-73-71-67=287+74,000
2United States Clayton Heafner72-75-73-69=289+92,000
3South Africa Bobby Locke73-71-74-73=291+111,500
T4United States Julius Boros74-74-71-74=293+13700
United States Lloyd Mangrum75-74-74-70=293
T6United States Al Besselink72-77-72-73=294+14387
United States Dave Douglas75-70-75-74=294
United States Fred Hawkins76-72-75-71=294
United States Paul Runyan73-74-72-75=294
T10United States Al Brosch73-74-76-72=295+15187
United States Smiley Quick73-76-74-72=295
United States Skee Riegel75-76-71-73=295
United States Sam Snead71-78-72-74=295

Source:[7]

References

  1. 1 2 "Hogan fires 3-under 67 to win third Open crown". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 17, 1951. p. 1B.
  2. "Mighty Hogan baffles par to cop Open". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. June 17, 1951. p. 14.
  3. Owosso, Michigan (July 26, 1991). "Still a 'monster'". Argus-Press. Associated Press. p. 11.
  4. 1 2 Garrity, John (June 10, 1996). "Making the Monster". Sports Illustrated. p. G32.
  5. "Nation Open golf scores". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 15, 1951. p. 22.
  6. "National Open tourney scores". Youngtown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. June 16, 1951. p. 7.
  7. 1 2 "National Open tourney scores". Youngtown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. June 17, 1951. p. D-1.


42°32′38″N 83°16′37″W / 42.544°N 83.277°W / 42.544; -83.277

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