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U.S. Open: 5 best moments in history

By Nathaniel Reeves

SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: Tiger Woods (R), champion, and Rocco Mediate (L), runner up, share a moment on the 18th green during the trophy presentation after the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: Tiger Woods (R), champion, and Rocco Mediate (L), runner up, share a moment on the 18th green during the trophy presentation after the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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THE WOODLANDS, TX – MAY 07: Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Gary Player wait in a fairway during the 3M Greats of Golf during the second round of the Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands Country Club on May 7, 2016 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
THE WOODLANDS, TX – MAY 07: Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Gary Player wait in a fairway during the 3M Greats of Golf during the second round of the Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands Country Club on May 7, 2016 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /

5. Lee Trevino tosses a rubber snake at Jack Nicklaus

Besides being one of the most exciting tournaments in U.S. Open history, the 1971 edition also tapped into the lighter side of golf, even during a pressure-packed moment.

Longtime rivals Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus both had a chance to win in regulation on the 18th hole of the final round at Merion Golf Club. Both narrowly missed tournament-winning birdie putts, forcing an 18-hole playoff on Monday.

One would think two of the top players in the world would be dead serious in such a critical moment. However, that was not the case on the first playoff tee, as Trevino infamously tossed a rubber snake at Nicklaus before the round started, via YouTube.

Trevino says Nicklaus asked him to throw him the snake, which was used as part of a photo shoot earlier in the week to symbolize Merion’s treacherous rough, while others contend he was trying to unnerve The Golden Bear. In either case, the crowd surrounding Nicklaus certainly wasn’t amused.

After a bogey on the first hole, Trevino took the lead by the third and never relinquished it, winning by three strokes. Even without the silly snake prank, the 1971 playoff was a huge moment in golf at the time, and went down in U.S. Open lore.

The victory was Trevino’s second U.S. Open win, and he went on to secure four more major titles. Nicklaus of course owns the record with 18 major titles, but finished second to Trevino on four separate occasions, including in 1971.

Next: 4. Ben Hogan wins after accident

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