US Open winners: Every champion in history of America’s championship

Breaking down all of the US Open winners in the tournament’s history that dates all the way back to the 1890s to see every champion of the event. 

The 123rd US Open is happening in 2023 with the first-ever trip for the USGA — or any major championship — to beautiful and historic Los Angeles Country Club. And with guys like Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland and many more chasing their first US Open win, it figures to be an exciting trip at LACC this week.

Whoever wins, whether they’ve tasted US Open or major championship glory before or not, will be putting their name among the best in golf history. The list of US Open winners is illustrious in the highest order, dating all the way back to 1895.

So who all makes that list? We know Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, among the other greats, all make the cut, but who else? Let’s take a look.

Who won the 2022 US Open?

Heading back to last year’s event at the historic venue of The Country Club in Brookline, MA, it was Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick who captured the 2022 US Open victory, the first major championship win of his career. Incidentally, Brookline has been quite kind to Fitzpatrick throughout his golfing life as he also won the US Amateur in 2013 at The Country Club as well.

US Open winners: Every US Open champion in history

Fitzpatrick included, let’s take a look at all of the US Open winners in the tournament’s history, going back from 2022 all the way back to Horace Rawlins winning the inaugural event in 1895.

• 2022 – The Country Club (Brookline): Matt Fitzpatrick
• 2021 – Torrey Pines: Jon Rahm
• 2020 – Winged Foot: Bryson DeChambeau
• 2019 – Pebble Beach: Gary Woodland
• 2018 – Shinnecock Hills: Brooks Koepka
• 2017 – Erin Hills: Brooks Koepka
• 2016 – Oakmont: Dustin Johnson
• 2015 – Chambers Bay: Jordan Spieth
• 2014 – Pinehurst: Martin Kaymer
• 2013 – Merion: Justin Rose
• 2012 – Olympic Club: Webb Simpson
• 2011 – Congressional: Rory McIlroy
• 2010 – Pebble Beach: Graeme McDowell
• 2009 – Bethpage Black: Lucas Glover
• 2008 – Torrey Pines: Tiger Woods
• 2007 – Oakmont: Angel Cabrera
• 2006 – Winged Foot: Geoff Ogilvy
• 2005 – Pinehurst: Michael Campbell
• 2004 – Shinnecock Hills: Retief Goosen
• 2003 – Olympia Fields: Jim Furyk
• 2002 – Bethpage Black: Tiger Woods
• 2001 – Southern Hills: Retief Goosen
• 2000 – Pebble Beach: Tiger Woods
• 1999 – Pinehurst: Payne Stewart
• 1998 – Olympic Club: Lee Janzen
• 1997 – Congressional: Ernie Els
• 1996 – Oakland Hills: Steve Jones
• 1995 – Shinnecock Hills: Corey Pavin
• 1994 – Oakmont: Ernie Els
• 1993 – Baltusrol: Lee Janzen
• 1992 – Pebble Beach: Tom Kite
• 1991 – Hazeltine: Payne Stewart
• 1990 – Medinah: Hale Irwin
• 1989 – Oak Hill: Curtis Strange
• 1988 – The Country Club (Brookline): Curtis Strange
• 1987 – Olympic Club: Scott Simpson
• 1986 – Shinnecock Hills: Raymond Floyd
• 1985 – Oakland Hills: Andy North
• 1984 – Winged Foot: Fuzzy Zoeller
• 1983 – Oakmont: Larry Nelson
• 1982 – Pebble Beach: Tom Watson
• 1981 – Merion: David Graham
• 1980 – Baltusrol: Jack Nicklaus
• 1979 – Inverness: Hale Irwin
• 1978 – Cherry Hills: Andy North
• 1977 – Southern Hills: Hubert Green
• 1976 – Atlanta Athletic Club: Jerry Pate
• 1975 – Medinah: Lou Graham
• 1974 – Winged Foot: Hale Irwin
• 1973 – Oakmont: Johnny Miller
• 1972 – Pebble Beach: Jack Nicklaus
• 1971 – Merion: Lee Trevino
• 1970 – Hazeltine: Tony Jacklin
• 1969 – Champions Golf Club (Minnesota): Orville Moody
• 1968 – Oak Hill: Lee Trevino
• 1967 – Baltusrol: Jack Nicklaus
• 1966 – Olympic Club: Billy Casper
• 1965 – Bellerive: Gary Player
• 1964 – Congressional: Ken Venturi
• 1963 – The Country Club (Brookline): Julius Boros
• 1962 – Oakmont: Jack Nicklaus
• 1961 – Oakland Hills: Gene Littler
• 1960 – Cherry Hills: Arnold Palmer
• 1959 – Winged Foot: Billy Casper
• 1958 – Southern Hills: Tommy Bolt
• 1957 – Inverness: Dick Mayer
• 1956 – Oak Hill: Cary Middlecoff
• 1955 – Olympic Club: Jack Fleck
• 1954 – Baltusrol: Ed Furgol
• 1953 – Oakmont: Ben Hogan
• 1952 – Northwood: Julius Boros
• 1951 – Oakland Hills: Ben Hogan
• 1950 – Merion: Ben Hogan
• 1949 – Medinah: Cary Middlecoff
• 1948 – Riviera: Ben Hogan
• 1947 – St. Louis Country Club: Lew Worsham
• 1946 – Canterbury Golf Club: Lloyd Mangrum
• 1945 – DNP (WWII)
• 1944 – DNP (WWII)
• 1943 – DNP (WWII)
• 1942 – DNP (WWII)
• 1941 – Colonial: Craig Wood
• 1940 – Canterbury Golf Club: Lawson Little
• 1939 – Philadelphia Country Club: Byron Nelson
• 1938 – Cherry Hills: Ralph Guldahl
• 1937 – Oakland Hills: Ralph Guldahl
• 1936 – Baltusrol: Tony Manero
• 1935 – Oakmont: Sam Parks Jr.
• 1934 – Merion: Olin Dutra
• 1933 – North Shore: Johnny Goodman
• 1932 – Fresh Meadow: Gene Sarazen
• 1931 – Inverness: Billy Burke
• 1930 – Interlachen: Bobby Jones
• 1929 – Winged Foot: Bobby Jones
• 1928 – Olympia Fields: Johnny Farrell
• 1927 – Oakmont: Tommy Armour
• 1926 – Scioto Country Club: Bobby Jones
• 1925 – Worcester Country Club: Willie Macfarlane
• 1924 – Oakland Hills: Cyril Walker
• 1923 – Inwood: Bobby Jones
• 1922 – Skokie Country Club: Gene Sarazen
• 1921 – Columbia Country Club: Jim Barnes
• 1920 – Inverness: Ted Ray
• 1919 – Brae Burn: Walter Hagen
• 1918 – DNP (WWI)
• 1917 – DNP (WWI)
• 1916 – The Minikahda Club: Chick Evans
• 1915 – Baltusrol: Jerome Travers
• 1914 – Midlothian Country Club: Walter Hagen
• 1913 – The Country Club (Brookline): Francis Ouimet
• 1912 – Country Club of Buffalo: John McDermott
• 1911 – Chicago Golf Club: John McDermott
• 1910 – Philadelphia Cricket Club: Alex Smith
• 1909 – Englewood: George Sargent
• 1908 – Myopia Hunt: Fred McLeod
• 1907 – Philadelphia Cricket Club: Alec Ross
• 1906 – Onwentsia: Alex Smith
• 1905 – Myopia Hunt: Willie Anderson
• 1904 – Glen View Club: Willie Anderson
• 1903 – Baltusrol: Willie Anderson
• 1902 – Garden City: Laurie Auchterlonie
• 1901 – Myopia Hunt: Willie Anderson
• 1900 – Chicago Golf Club: Harry Vardon
• 1899 – Baltimore Country Club: Willie Smith
• 1898 – Myopia Hunt: Fred Herd
• 1897 – Chicago Golf Club: Joe Lloyd
• 1896 – Shinnecock Hills: James Foulis
• 1895 – Newport Country Club: Horace Rawlins

One of the fun facts about the US Open is that, despite being America’s national championship, it wasn’t won by an American in the first 16 years of the tournament. Every champion for the first 16 years was either from England, Scotland, or Jersey before John McDermott captured the victory for the first time as an American in 1911. He then won the next year before amateur Francis Ouimet shocked the world at Brookline in 1913 with “the greatest game ever played”.

Multiple time US Open winners in golf history

There have been 22 golfers in history who have won the US Open on multiple occasions. However, only six players have won it more than twice. Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus are the only players to have won the tournament four times while Tiger Woods and Hale Irwin are the only other players to have won at the US Open three times.

Has there ever been a back-to-back US Open winner?

There has been a back-to-back US Open winner on seven different occasions. The last time it happened was in 2017 and 2018 when Brooks Koepka won back-to-back at Erin Hills and Shinnecock Hills, respectively. The others to accomplish the feat were Curtis Strange (1988-89), Ben Hogan (1950-51), Ralph Guldahl (1937-38), Bobby Jones (1929-30), John McDermott (1911-12), and Willie Anderson. Anderson’s feat might be most impressive, winning three in a row from 1903-05 after also winning in 1901.

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