1968 U.S. Open (golf)

1968 U.S. Open
Tournament information
Dates June 13–16, 1968
Location Rochester, New York
Course(s) Oak Hill Country Club
East Course
Organized by USGA
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Statistics
Par 70
Length 6,962 yards (6,366 m)[1]
Field 149 players, 64 after cut
Cut 148 (+8)
Prize fund $188,800[2]
Winner's share $30,000
Champion
United States Lee Trevino
275 (−5)
«1967
1969»
Oak Hill CC
Location in the United States
Oak Hill CC
Location in New York

The 1968 U.S. Open was the 68th U.S. Open, held June 13–16 at the East Course of Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. Lee Trevino equaled the tournament scoring record and won the first of his six major titles, four strokes ahead of runner-up Jack Nicklaus.[3][4] It was also the first win on the PGA Tour for Trevino, age 28.

This was the second of three U.S. Opens at the East Course; Cary Middlecoff won the first in 1956 and Curtis Strange successfully defended in 1989. It also hosted the PGA Championship in 1980, 2003, and 2013, and the Ryder Cup in 1995.

Final round

Bert Yancey held the 54-hole lead after a tournament record 205 (–5) in the first three rounds. Trevino was a stroke behind at 206, after three rounds in the 60s, and made par saves at 5 and 6. After Yancey bogeyed the 5th, Trevino took the lead, then recorded birdies at 11 and 12, while Yancey bogeyed the 11th to fall out of contention. Nicklaus started the round seven strokes back at 212 (+2); he got two quick birdies, and did not record another until the 14th, by which time Trevino already had a commanding lead. Trevino's total of 275 tied the tournament record that Nicklaus established the year before at Baltusrol; his four rounds in the 60s was a tournament first,[4] and did not happen again for a quarter century, until Lee Janzen won at Baltusrol in 1993. It was also the first of Trevino's 29 victories on the PGA Tour.[5] Of Trevino's six major victories, Nicklaus was the runner-up four times.

Sam Snead, age 56, finished in a tie for 9th place, his final top-10 finish at the U.S. Open.

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Jack Nicklaus  United States 1962, 1967 72 70 70 67 279 –1 2
Billy Casper  United States 1959, 1966 75 68 71 72 286 +6 T9
Julius Boros  United States 1952, 1963 71 71 71 75 288 +8 T16
Gary Player  South Africa 1965 76 69 70 73 288 +8 T16
Arnold Palmer  United States 1960 73 74 79 75 301 +21 59

Missed the cut

Player Country Year won R1 R2 Total To par
Ken Venturi  United States 1964 79 74 153 +13

Source:[1]

Final leaderboard

Sunday, June 16, 1968

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
1 Lee Trevino  United States 69-68-69-69=275 –5 30,000
2 Jack Nicklaus  United States 72-70-70-67=279 –1 15,000
3 Bert Yancey  United States 67-68-70-76=281 +1 10,000
4 Bobby Nichols  United States 74-71-68-69=282 +2 7,500
T5 Don Bies  United States 70-70-75-69=284 +4 5,500
Steve Spray  United States 73-75-71-65=284
T7 Bob Charles  New Zealand 73-69-72-71=285 +5 3,750
Jerry Pittman  United States 73-67-74-71=285
T9 Gay Brewer  United States 71-71-75-69=286 +6 2,516
Billy Casper  United States 75-68-71-72=286
Bruce Devlin  Australia 71-69-75-71=286
Al Geiberger  United States 72-74-68-72=286
Sam Snead  United States 73-71-74-68=286
Dave Stockton  United States 72-73-69-72=286

Source:[6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Steady Yancey shoots 68, holds 2-stroke Open lead". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. June 15, 1968. p. 13.
  2. "U.S. Open history: 1968". USGA. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  3. Jenkins, Dan (June 24, 1968). "Eyes right...but wrong". Sports Illustrated. p. 16.
  4. 1 2 Grimsley, Will (June 17, 1968). "Trevino's 4 subpar rounds set mark in Open victory; 275 total ties another". Youngstown Vindicator. Associated Press. p. 15.
  5. Stambaugh, Phil (July 29, 2013). "Q&A: Lee Trevino on historic win at Oak Hill". PGA Tour. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  6. "National Open golf scores". Youngstown Vindicator. Associated Press. June 17, 1968. p. 15.

External links

Preceded by
1968 Masters
Major Championships Succeeded by
1968 Open Championship

Coordinates: 43°06′47″N 77°31′59″W / 43.113°N 77.533°W / 43.113; -77.533

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