U.S. Senior Open

The U.S. Senior Open is one of the five major championships in senior golf, introduced 41 years ago in 1980.[1] It is administered by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and is recognized as a major championship by both the PGA Tour Champions and the European Senior Tour. The lower age limit was 55 in 1980, but it was lowered to 50 for the second edition in 1981,[2] which is the standard limit for men's senior professional golf tournaments. By definition, the event is open to amateurs, but has been dominated by professionals; through 2019, all editions have been won by pros. Like other USGA championships, it has been played on many courses throughout the United States.

U.S. Senior Open
Tournament information
LocationNewport, Rhode Island (2020)
Established1980, 41 years ago
Course(s)Newport Country Club (2020)
Par70 (2020)
Length7,075 yards (6,469 m) (2020)
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour Champions
European Senior Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fund$4.0 million
Month playedJune
Tournament record score
Aggregate261 Steve Stricker (2019)
To par−20 Fred Funk (2009)
Current champion
Steve Stricker
Newport CC
Newport CC

Allen Doyle became the oldest U.S. Senior Open Champion in 2006, winning two weeks before his 58th birthday.[3]

The total purse was the highest of any senior tour event until the Posco E&C Songdo Championship in South Korea, a Champions Tour event in 2010 and 2011 with a $3 million purse, but had a lower winner's share ($450,000). The U.S. Senior Open is again the highest purse on the PGA Tour Champions; in 2016 it was $3.75 million, and champion Gene Sauers earned $675,000. The purse in 2017 is anticipated to be $4 million, yielding a winner's share of $720,000.

Like other senior majors, players must walk the course unless they receive a medical exemption to use a cart. Winners gain entry into the following year's U.S. Open.

The playoff format was modified for 2018, reduced from three to two aggregate holes, followed by sudden death.[4] The three-hole aggregate playoff was used in 2002 and 2014; the final 18-hole playoff at the U.S. Senior Open was in 1991, won by Jack Nicklaus.[5]

Eligibility

The following players are exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open, provided they are 50 years old as of the opening day of the tournament. Amateur categories require that the player is still an amateur on the opening day of the tournament, except for the one-time exemption for former champions of the U.S. Amateur or The Amateur Championship.[6]

  • Any past winner of the U.S. Senior Open
  • Winners of any of the major championships in the last 10 years
  • Winners of any of the U.S. Amateur in the last 10 years and runner-up in previous year
  • Winners of the Senior PGA Championship in the last 10 years
  • Winner of the Senior Open Championship in the last four years
  • Top 15 finishers from the previous year's U.S. Senior Open
  • Any amateur completing 72 holes in last U.S. Open
  • Low amateur in last U.S. Senior Open
  • Winner and runner-up of the U.S. Senior Amateur in the previous year
  • Members of the Walker Cup and Eisenhower Trophy teams for the last two competitions
  • Members of both Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams for the last five competitions
  • Top 30 from the previous year's PGA Tour Champions money list, top 20 from current list
  • Top 50 leaders from the PGA Tour Champions career money list
  • Winners of PGA Tour Champions events in the previous three years
  • Top six from previous year's European Senior Tour money list
  • Top two from previous year's Japan Seniors Tour money list
  • Winners of PGA Tour events in the previous five years
  • Winners of the U.S. Open in first ten years of age eligibility
  • One-time exemption for any winner of a major championship, U.S. Amateur, or British Amateur.
    • Winners of amateur championships who have since turned professional are able to use this exemption.

Special exemptions are given occasionally, and like other USGA events, many qualify through the local and sectional ranks.

Winners
YearChampionCountryVenueLocationScoreWinning
margin		Runner(s)-upPurse ($)Winner's
share ($)
2020Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[7][8]
2019Steve Stricker United StatesWarren Golf Course, U of Notre DameSouth Bend, Indiana261 (−19)6 strokes Jerry Kelly
David Toms		4,000,000720,000
2018David Toms United StatesBroadmoor Golf ClubColorado Springs, Colorado277 (−3)1 stroke Miguel Ángel Jiménez
Jerry Kelly
Tim Petrovic		4,000,000720,000
2017Kenny Perry (2) United StatesSalem Country ClubPeabody, Massachusetts264 (−16)2 strokes Kirk Triplett4,000,000720,000
2016Gene Sauers United StatesScioto Country ClubUpper Arlington, Ohio277 (−3)1 stroke Miguel Ángel Jiménez
Billy Mayfair		3,750,000675,000
2015Jeff Maggert United StatesDel Paso Country ClubSacramento, California270 (−10)2 strokes Colin Montgomerie3,750,000675,000
2014Colin Montgomerie ScotlandOak Tree NationalEdmond, Oklahoma279 (−5)Playoff Gene Sauers3,500,000630,000
2013Kenny Perry United StatesOmaha Country ClubOmaha, Nebraska267 (−13)5 strokes Fred Funk2,750,000500,000
2012Roger Chapman EnglandIndianwood Golf and Country ClubLake Orion, Michigan270 (−10)2 strokes Fred Funk
Bernhard Langer
Tom Lehman
Corey Pavin		2,750,000500,000
2011Olin Browne United StatesInverness ClubToledo, Ohio269 (−15)3 strokes Mark O'Meara2,750,000500,000
2010Bernhard Langer GermanySahalee Country ClubSammamish, Washington272 (−8)3 strokes Fred Couples2,600,000470,000
2009Fred Funk United StatesCrooked Stick Golf ClubCarmel, Indiana268 (−20)6 strokes Joey Sindelar2,600,000470,000
2008Eduardo Romero ArgentinaBroadmoor Golf ClubColorado Springs, Colorado274 (−6)4 strokes Fred Funk2,600,000470,000
2007Brad Bryant United StatesWhistling Straits, Straits CourseHaven, Wisconsin282 (−6)3 strokes Ben Crenshaw2,600,000470,000
2006Allen Doyle (2) United StatesPrairie Dunes Golf ClubHutchinson, Kansas272 (−8)2 strokes Tom Watson2,600,000470,000
2005Allen Doyle United StatesNCR Country Club, South CourseKettering, Ohio274 (−10)1 stroke Loren Roberts
D. A. Weibring		2,600,000470,000
2004Peter Jacobsen United StatesBellerive Country ClubSt. Louis, Missouri272 (−12)1 stroke Hale Irwin2,600,000470,000
2003Bruce Lietzke United StatesInverness ClubToledo, Ohio207 (−6)2 strokes Tom Watson2,600,000470,000
2002Don Pooley United StatesCaves Valley Golf ClubOwings Mills, Maryland274 (−10)Playoff Tom Watson2,500,000450,000
2001Bruce Fleisher United StatesSalem Country ClubPeabody, Massachusetts280 (E)1 stroke Isao Aoki
Gil Morgan		2,400,000430,000
2000Hale Irwin (2) United StatesSaucon Valley Country Club, Old CourseBethlehem, Pennsylvania267 (−17)3 strokes Bruce Fleisher2,250,000400,000
1999Dave Eichelberger United StatesDes Moines Golf and Country ClubWest Des Moines, Iowa281 (−7)3 strokes Ed Dougherty1,750,000315,000
1998Hale Irwin United StatesRiviera Country ClubPacific Palisades, California285 (+1)1 stroke Vicente Fernández1,500,000267,500
1997Graham Marsh AustraliaOlympia Fields Country ClubOlympia Fields, Illinois280 (E)1 stroke John Bland1,300,000232,500
1996Dave Stockton United StatesCanterbury Golf ClubBeachwood, Ohio277 (−11)2 strokes Hale Irwin1,200,000212,500
1995Tom Weiskopf United StatesCongressional Country Club, Blue CourseBethesda, Maryland275 (−13)4 strokes Jack Nicklaus1,000,000175,000
1994Simon Hobday South AfricaPinehurst Resort, No. 2 CoursePinehurst, North Carolina274 (−10)1 stroke Jim Albus
Graham Marsh		800,000145,000
1993Jack Nicklaus (2) United StatesCherry Hills Country ClubCherry Hills Village, Colorado278 (−6)1 stroke Tom Weiskopf700,000135,330
1992Larry Laoretti United StatesSaucon Valley Country Club, Old CourseBethlehem, Pennsylvania275 (−9)4 strokes Jim Colbert700,000130,000
1991Jack Nicklaus United StatesOakland Hills Country Club, South CourseBirmingham, Michigan282 (+2)Playoff Chi-Chi Rodríguez600,000110,000
1990Lee Trevino United StatesRidgewood Country ClubParamus, New Jersey275 (−13)2 strokes Jack Nicklaus500,00090,000
1989Orville Moody United StatesLaurel Valley Golf ClubLigonier, Pennsylvania279 (−9)2 strokes Frank Beard450,00080,000
1988Gary Player (2) South AfricaMedinah Country Club, Course No. 3Medinah, Illinois288 (E)Playoff Bob Charles400,00065,000
1987Gary Player South AfricaBrooklawn Country ClubFairfield, Connecticut270 (−14)6 strokes Doug Sanders300,00047,000
1986Dale Douglass United StatesScioto Country ClubColumbus, Ohio279 (−9)1 stroke Gary Player275,00042,500
1985Miller Barber (3) United StatesEdgewood Tahoe Golf CourseStateline, Nevada285 (−3)4 strokes Roberto De Vicenzo225,00040,199
1984Miller Barber (2) United StatesOak Hill Country Club, East CoursePittsford, New York286 (−2)2 strokes Arnold Palmer200,00036,448
1983Billy Casper United StatesHazeltine National Golf ClubChaska, Minnesota288 (+4)Playoff Rod Funseth175,00030,566
1982Miller Barber United StatesPortland Golf ClubPortland, Oregon282 (−2)4 strokes Gene Littler
Dan Sikes		150,00028,648
1981Arnold Palmer United StatesOakland Hills Country Club, South CourseBirmingham, Michigan289 (+9)Playoff Billy Casper
Bob Stone		149,00026,000
1980Roberto De Vicenzo ArgentinaWinged Foot Golf Club, East CourseMamaroneck, New York285 (+1)4 strokes William C. Campbell (a)100,00020,000

Multiple winners

Six men have multiple victories in the U.S. Senior Open:

3 wins

2 wins

Successful defenders of the title were Barber (1985), Player (1988), and Doyle (2006).

Winners of both U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open

The following men have won both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Senior Open, the majors run by the USGA:

PlayerU.S. OpenU.S. Senior Open
Arnold Palmer19601981
Billy Casper1959, 19661983
Gary Player19651987, 1988
Orville Moody19691989
Lee Trevino1968, 19711990
Jack Nicklaus1962, 1967, 1972, 19801991, 1993
Hale Irwin1974, 1979, 19901998, 2000

Palmer (1954) and Nicklaus (1959, 1961) also won the U.S. Amateur, previously considered a major.

Final round ratings

2019: 761,000 on Fox[9]

Future sites
YearVenueLocationDates
2021Omaha Country ClubOmaha, NebraskaJuly 8–11
2022Saucon Valley Country ClubBethlehem, PennsylvaniaJune 23–26

See also

References
  1. "De Vicenzo cops Senior Open". Wilmington Morning Star. North Carolina. Associated Press. June 30, 1980. p. 7B.
  2. "Seniors tee it up in the US Senior Open". Nashua Telegraph. New Hampshire. Associated Press. July 8, 1981. p. 24.
  3. Senko, David (July 9, 2006). "Doyle becomes oldest winner of U.S. Senior Open". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on July 16, 2006.
  4. "U.S. Open abandons 18 holes for 2-hole playoff". ESPN. Associated Press. February 26, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  5. "Nicklaus' 65 beats Rodriguez". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 30, 1991. p. 23.
  6. "2014 U.S. Senior Open Entry Form" (PDF). USGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 8, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  7. Barrett, Scott (April 6, 2020). "U.S. Senior Open at Newport County Club canceled". The Newport Daily News. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  8. https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2020/04/2020-u-s--senior-open--u-s--senior-women-s-open-canceled.html
  9. "U.S. Senior Open ratings". ShowBuzzDaily. Mitch Metcalf. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

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