1951 U.S. Open (golf)


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 Birmingham, 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.
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, while Bobby Locke led after the second round at 144 and shared the lead with Demaret after the third at 218.
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 and sank the birdie putt to post a 67, the lowest round of the week, one of two sub-par rounds for the round. His 287 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."
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.
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. 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 and Brooks Koepka have won consecutive U.S. Open titles.

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Missed the cut

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Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 14, 1951
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Sam Snead71+1
T2Al Besselink72+2
T2Clayton Heafner72+2
T4Sam Bernardi73+3
T4Al Brosch73+3
T4Sammy Byrd73+3
T4Dutch Harrison73+3
T4Charles Klein73+3
T4Bobby Locke South Africa73+3
T4Johnny Palmer73+3
T4Smiley Quick73+3
T4Paul Runyan73+3
T4Denny Shute73+3

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Second round

Friday, June 15, 1951
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Bobby Locke South Africa73-71=144+4
2Dave Douglas75-70=145+5
3Bo Wininger 75-71=146+6
T4Al Brosch73-74=147+7
T4Clayton Heafner72-75=147+7
T4Charles Klein73-74=147+7
T4Paul Runyan73-74=147+7
T4Lew Worsham76-71=147+7
T9Julius Boros74-74=148+8
T9Jimmy Demaret74-74=148+8
T9Fred Hawkins76-72=148+8
T9George Kinsman75-73=148+8
T9Henry Ransom74-74=148+8
T9Earl Stewart74-74=148+8
T9Craig Wood76-72=148+8

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Third round

Saturday, June 16, 1951
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Jimmy Demaret74-74-70=218+8
T1Bobby Locke South Africa73-71-74=218+8
T3Julius Boros74-74-71=219+9
T3Paul Runyan73-74-72=219+9
T5Dave Douglas75-70-75=220+10
T5Clayton Heafner72-75-73=220+10
T5Ben Hogan76-73-71=220+10
8Al Besselink72-77-72=221+11
T9Johnny Revolta78-72-72=222+12
T9Skee Riegel75-76-71=222+12

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Final round

Saturday, June 16, 1951
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney
1Ben Hogan76-73-71-67=287+74,000
2Clayton Heafner72-75-73-69=289+92,000
3Bobby Locke South Africa73-71-74-73=291+111,500
T4Julius Boros74-74-71-74=293+13700
T4Lloyd Mangrum75-74-74-70=293+13700
T6Al Besselink72-77-72-73=294+14387
T6Dave Douglas75-70-75-74=294+14387
T6Fred Hawkins76-72-75-71=294+14387
T6Paul Runyan73-74-72-75=294+14387
T10Al Brosch73-74-76-72=295+15187
T10Smiley Quick73-76-74-72=295+15187
T10Skee Riegel75-76-71-73=295+15187
T10Sam Snead71-78-72-74=295+15187

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