June 15, 2016: We are inside the week for the beginning of the 116th US Open. The venue this year is the famed brute in Pennsylvania, the Oakmont Country Club.
Here are ten interesting facts about the course and its treasured relationship with the US Open –
1. The Oakmont course plays to par at 70. It measures 7230 yards and is lined with a generous sprinkling bunkers, both around the fairway and the greens.
2. It is an undulating farmland course opened 113 years ago by Henry Fownes and his son William, an industrialist family in Pittsburgh.
3. Johnny Miller’s 63 in the fourth round of the 1973 US Open at Oakmont is considered one of the greatest rounds of golf. He came back from six strokes back to win by one over John Schlee.
4. The club has removed 7000 trees in the run up to the 2007 US Open and a similar number since then have been put to the axe in an effort to return the course to its original state, as nearly as possible.
5. It has been nearly impossible for any player to defend a US Open title. There have only been four players who have managed a decent run in their title defense – Retief Goosen – 11th in 2005, Tiger Woods – T6 in 2009, Graeme McDowell – 14th in 2011 and Justin Rose – 12th in 2014.
6. All the greens on the course are the original ones, except the 8th hole. The green was moved to the left of its original position to make way for the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which continues to separate the course into two sections.
7. The Church Pews is perhaps the most famous bunker in all of golf. It is in play on the 3rd and 4th holes, measuring approximately 100 x 40 yards. It has a dozen grass covered ridges that resemble church pews.
8. The lowest score to win the US Open at Oakmont has been five under – Ernie Els in 1994, Johnny Miller in 1973 and Ben Hogan in 1953 achieved the mark.
9. The worst score to even win the US Open at Oakmont was nearly a century ago. Tommy Armour needed a playoff to win the title after finishing 72 holes at 13-over 301.
10. Angel Cabrera was the winner in Oakmont when the US Open was played there in 2007. He defeated Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk by a single shot at five over 285.
