1974 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 13–16, 1974
LocationMamaroneck, New York
Course(s)Winged Foot Golf Club
West Course
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par70
Length6,961 yards (6,365 m)[1]
Field150 players, 66 after cut
Cut153 (+13)
Prize fund$227,700[2]
Winner's share$35,000
Champion
United States Hale Irwin
287 (+7)
Mamaroneck is located in the United States
Mamaroneck
Mamaroneck
Location in the United States
Winged Foot Golf Club  is located in New York
Winged Foot Golf Club 
Winged Foot Golf Club 
Location in New York

The 1974 U.S. Open was the 74th U.S. Open, held June 13–16 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, a suburb northeast of New York City. In what became known as the "Massacre at Winged Foot," Hale Irwin's score of 287 (+7) was good enough for the first of his three U.S. Open titles, two strokes ahead of runner-up Forrest Fezler.[3][4][5][6]

Tournament summary

In the first round, with an even-par 70, Gary Player took the solo lead. In the second round Player shot a three-over-par 73 and retained the lead, now tied with Hale Irwin, Raymond Floyd, and Arnold Palmer. This group led by one over Tom Kite and Tom Watson.

In the third-round Watson shot a one-under-par 69 to take a one-stroke lead over Irwin. Palmer stayed in contention with a 73 (+3), now in solo third. However Player, Floyd, and Kite fell out of contention with significantly over-par rounds.[7][8]

In the final round Watson bogeyed holes 4, 5, and 8 on the front nine to lose the lead to Irwin. He then bogeyed six more holes on the back nine to fall out of contention. Journeyman golfer Forrest Fezler shot one-under-par through the first 15 holes to suddenly move into contention. He then made long par putts at 16 and 17 to stay near the lead. Needing a birdie at 18 to tie Irwin, Fezler missed the green and could not convert another lenghty par save at the last, missing from fifteen feet (4.6 m) to finish with an even-par 70. He finished at 289 (+9), the clubhouse leader, but multiple strokes behind Irwin, still the overall leader. Irwin bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes but made a 10-footer (3 m) to save par at 17th. With a two-shot lead heading to the 18th, Irwin hit his approach to the center of the green and two-putted for par and the championship.

Winged Foot played extremely difficult throughout the tournament, leading sportswriter Dick Schaap to coin the phrase "The Massacre at Winged Foot," also the title of his book about the tournament.[6] Irwin's 7-over total tied for second-highest aggregate winning score since 1935. Many complained that the USGA had intentionally made the course setup treacherous in response to Johnny Miller's record-breaking 63 the year before.

Sam Snead, age 62, broke a rib during practice on Wednesday and withdrew.[9][10]

Course layout

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards4464112164605153241664424663,4461903825352124354174524444483,5156,961
Par443454344353453444443570

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 13, 1974

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1South Africa Gary Player70E
T2United States Lou Graham71+1
United States Mike Reasor
T4United States Jim Colbert72+2
Australia Bruce Crampton
United States Raymond Floyd
United States Bobby Nichols
United States Barney Thompson
T9United States Arnold Palmer73+3
United States Tom Watson
United States Hale Irwin
United States Rod Funseth
United States Jerry Heard
Australia David Graham
United States Mark Hayes
United States John Buczek

Source:[11]

Second round

Friday, June 14, 1974

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1United States Arnold Palmer73-70=143+3
United States Hale Irwin73-70=143
United States Raymond Floyd72-71=143
South Africa Gary Player70-73=143
T5United States Tom Kite74-70=144+4
United States Tom Watson73-71=144
T7United States Bert Yancey76-69=145+5
United States Forrest Fezler75-70=145
T9United States Larry Ziegler78-68=146+6
United States Frank Beard77-69=146
United States Eddie Pearce75-71=146
United States John Buczek73-73=146
United States Lou Graham71-75=146

Source:[11]

Third round

Saturday, June 15, 1974

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States Tom Watson73-71-69=213+3
2United States Hale Irwin73-70-71=214+4
3United States Arnold Palmer73-70-73=216+6
T4United States Frank Beard77-69-72=218+8
United States Bert Yancey76-69-73=218
United States Jim Colbert72-77-69=218
7United States Forrest Fezler75-70-74=219+9
T8United States Lou Graham71-75-74=220+10
South Africa Gary Player70-73-77=220
T10United States Raymond Floyd72-71-78=221+11
United States Buddy Allin76-71-74=221
United States Tom Kite74-70-77=221
United States Dale Douglass77-72-72=221
United States Tom Weiskopf76-73-72=221

Source:[7]

Final round

Sunday, June 16, 1974

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney ($)
1United States Hale Irwin73-70-71-73=287+735,000
2United States Forrest Fezler75-70-74-70=289+918,000
T3United States Lou Graham71-75-74-70=290+1011,500
United States Bert Yancey76-69-73-72=290
T5United States Jim Colbert72-77-69-74=292+128,000
United States Arnold Palmer73-70-73-76=292
United States Tom Watson73-71-69-79=292
T8United States Tom Kite74-70-77-72=293+135,500
South Africa Gary Player70-73-77-73=293
T10United States Buddy Allin76-71-74-73=294+143,750
United States Jack Nicklaus75-74-76-69=294

Source:[3][5][12]

Scorecard

Hole123456789101112131415161718
Par443454344345344444
United States Irwin+4+4+4+5+5+5+5+6+5+6+5+5+6+5+6+7+7+7
United States Fezler+9+10+10+10+10+10+10+9+9+9+9+8+8+8+8+8+8+9
United States Graham+10+10+11+11+10+10+10+10+10+10+10+11+12+11+11+10+10+10
United States Yancey+8+7+7+7+7+7+8+8+8+9+8+8+10+10+10+10+10+10
United States Watson+3+3+3+4+5+5+5+6+6+7+7+8+9+9+10+10+11+12

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par

Birdie Bogey Double bogey

Source:[3][13]

References

  1. ↑ "For you nostalgia fans – it's the Palmer of old!". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. June 15, 1975. p. 12.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Open history: 1974". USGA. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Tomashek, Tom (June 17, 1974). "Hail! Irwin wins Open by 2". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 3.
  4. ↑ Jenkins, Dan (June 24, 1974). "Hale Irwin, sole survivor". Sports Illustrated. p. 18.
  5. 1 2 "Irwin finishes with 287, gains two-stroke victory in U.S. Open". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. June 17, 1974. p. 17.
  6. 1 2 McCleery, Peter (June 8, 2006). "The Massacre of '74 still lingers". ESPN. (Golf Digest). Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  7. 1 2 Tomashek, Tom (June 16, 1974). "Watson leads by 1 in Open; Arnie 3d". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 3.
  8. ↑ "Watson takes lead as Arnie, Gary fade". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 16, 1974. p. 1B.
  9. ↑ "Broken rib costs Snead Open berth". Bangor Daily News. (Maine). Associated Press. June 13, 1974. p. 27.
  10. ↑ "Sam slammed by Open jinx". The Age. (Melbourne, Australia). June 14, 1974. p. 27.
  11. 1 2 "Arnie's back as he takes share of lead". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 15, 1974. p. 1B.
  12. ↑ "1974 U.S. Open". databasegolf.com. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Irwin's final card". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. June 17, 1974. p. 17.

40°57′29″N 73°45′14″W / 40.958°N 73.754°W / 40.958; -73.754

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