Oakmont Country Club is one of the most famous courses stateside, and it regularly hosts the US Open golf championship in rotation with several other country clubs. What makes Oakmont such a challenge as compared to other courses on the rotation is its long greens, and in particular its thick rough, which was on full display in practice rounds early in the week.
Oakmont is a course just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and one of the most challenging clubs on the east coast. It has a storied championship history dating back to 1927, and has hosted the US Open 10 times total. Oakmont has also hosted six US Women's Open tournaments, as well as amateur qualifiers. It's hosted three PGA Championships, and will be the future home of the US Open in 2033, 2042 and 2049.
All 10 U.S. Opens hosted at Oakmont and the winners
Oakmont has hosted the US Open on 10 occasions dating all the way back to 1927. That first tournament was won by Tommy Armour, with the most recent US Open going to Dustin Johnson in 2016. Oakmont is also scheduled to host three future US Opens in 2033, 2042 and 2049.
Year | Winner |
|---|---|
1927 | Tommy Armour |
1935 | Sam Parks, Jr. |
1953 | Ben Hogan |
1962 | Jack Nicklaus |
1973 | Johnny Miller |
1983 | Larry Nelson |
1994 | Ernie Els |
2007 | Angel Cabrera |
2016 | Dustin Johnson |
The early favorites for the 2025 tournament are Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau, who has won two US Opens himself, among others. Scheffler has yet to win a US Open himself, but he is the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world and finished third in the 2023 US Open.
Courses to host the most U.S. Open tournaments
Oakmont is the most frequent US Open host, so veteran golfers have the advantage of playing in such a high stakes tournament at this course previously. Johnson, for example, played and won here just under a decade ago, which should provide him with some extra motivation and confidence heading into the tournament. That being said, the USGA does move this tournament around some. Oakmont is the most prominent and frequent home, but they are not alone.
Course | Number of US Opens |
|---|---|
Oakmont Country Club | 10 |
Baltusrol Golf Club | 7 |
Pebble Beach Golf Links | 6 |
Oakland Hills Country Club | 6 |
Winged Foot Golf Club | 6 |
Merion Golf Club | 5 |
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club | 5 |
The Olympic Club | 5 |
Given the number of courses up to PGA standards these days, it's only a matter of time before some of these other courses catch up to Oakmont. However, as long as it's in the rotation and continues to add new layers of creativity to keep up with the modern game, the US Open will always be welcome at Oakmont.
What is the course record at Oakmont?
The course record at Oakmont Country Club is held by Johnny Miller, who shot a 63 in the final round of his US Open win in 1973. Miller entered the final round at Oakmont a full six strikes back of the lead, but shot his 63 and – along with some help from the top of the leaderboard – won the tournament in perhaps the best final major round ever.
“There will be guys that will shoot lower scores,” Miller told Sports Illustrated in 2023, “but can they do it on Sunday to win the U.S. Open and pass up the kind of guys that I passed up? That's what makes the story or the round honorable. Makes it cool.”
Miller hit all 18 greens in regulation, which is a tough enough task on any PGA course, let alone Oakmont.
How did Tiger Woods perform at Oakmont?
Tiger Woods most memorable performance at Oakmont came in 2007, when he finished in second place behind Angel Cabrera in the US Open. Woods had several memorable shots, but what cost him the title was a double bogey on the par-4 third hole. Woods had a chance to tie Cabrera on the par-4 18th hole, which would've forced a playoff, but failed to do so. Cabrera became the first South American to win the US Open as a result.
Woods has seen some success at Oakmont, no doubt, but he has never won a tournament. He will not get his chance in 2025, either, as Tiger is still recovering from an Achilles injury.