The 1951 U.S. Open was the 51st U.S. Open, held June 14–16 at the South Course of Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit. Ben Hogan won his second consecutive U.S. Open title, two strokes ahead of runner-up Clayton Heafner. Hogan missed the 1949 U.S. Open due to an automobile accident; this was his third title in his last three attempts.[1]

1951 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 14–16, 1951
LocationBloomfield Hills, Michigan
Course(s)Oakland Hills Country Club
South Course
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par70
Length6,927 yards (6,334 m)[1]
Field160 players, 55 after cut
Cut152 (+12)
Winner's share$4,000
Champion
United States Ben Hogan
287 (+7)
← 1950
1952 →
Oakland Hills Country Club is located in the United States
Oakland Hills Country Club
Oakland Hills Country Club
Oakland Hills Country Club is located in Michigan
Oakland Hills Country Club
Oakland Hills Country Club

The South Course, dubbed "The Monster," played exceptionally tough for the first three rounds. No player was able to break par the first two days, and Jimmy Demaret's 70 was the only score to equal par in Saturday morning's third round. Sam Snead owned the first round lead at 71 (+1), while Bobby Locke led after the second round at 144 (+4) and shared the lead with Demaret after the third at 218 (+8).

Two strokes back after a 71 in the third round on Saturday morning, Hogan played one of the finest rounds in U.S. Open history that afternoon. Even-par on the front nine, he birdied the 10th and 13th holes. After a bogey at 14, he responded with another birdie at 15. At the 72nd hole, Hogan hit his approach shot on the par-4 to 15 feet (5 m) and sank the birdie putt to post a 67 (−3), the lowest round of the week, one of two sub-par rounds for the round (and championship).[2] His 287 (+7) was two ahead of Heafner, who shot 69, the only other round under 70. At the trophy presentation, Hogan uttered the famous quote: "I'm glad I brought this course—this monster—to its knees."[3]

This was the first U.S. Open that was notably toughened up by the USGA with narrow fairways and deep rough, attributing to "The Monster" nickname. The course also underwent a redesign by Robert Trent Jones prior to the championship, modifying the original Donald Ross design.[4]

The South Course previously hosted the U.S. Open in 1924 and 1937; the winning score in 1937 was 281, sixteen strokes less than in 1924.[4] It later hosted in 1961, 1985, and 1996, and the PGA Championship in 1972, 1979, and 2008.

Since Hogan repeated as champion in 1951, only Curtis Strange (1988, 1989) and Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018) have won consecutive U.S. Open titles.

Round summaries

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First round

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Thursday, June 14, 1951

Place Player Score To par
1   Sam Snead 71 +1
T2   Al Besselink 72 +2
  Clayton Heafner
T4   Sam Bernardi 73 +3
  Al Brosch
  Sammy Byrd
  Dutch Harrison
  Charles Klein
  Bobby Locke
  Johnny Palmer
  Smiley Quick
  Paul Runyan
  Denny Shute

Source:[5]

Second round

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Friday, June 15, 1951

Place Player Score To par
1   Bobby Locke 73-71=144 +4
2   Dave Douglas 75-70=145 +5
3   Bo Wininger (a) 75-71=146 +6
T4   Al Brosch 73-74=147 +7
  Clayton Heafner 72-75=147
  Charles Klein 73-74=147
  Paul Runyan 73-74=147
  Lew Worsham 76-71=147
T9   Julius Boros 74-74=148 +8
  Jimmy Demaret 74-74=148
  Fred Hawkins 76-72=148
  George Kinsman 75-73=148
  Henry Ransom 74-74=148
  Earl Stewart 74-74=148
  Craig Wood 76-72=148

Source:[6]

Third round

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Saturday, June 16, 1951 (morning)

Place Player Score To par
T1   Jimmy Demaret 74-74-70=218 +8
  Bobby Locke 73-71-74=218
T3   Julius Boros 74-74-71=219 +9
  Paul Runyan 73-74-72=219
T5   Dave Douglas 75-70-75=220 +10
  Clayton Heafner 72-75-73=220
  Ben Hogan 76-73-71=220
8   Al Besselink 72-77-72=221 +11
T9   Johnny Revolta 78-72-72=222 +12
  Skee Riegel 75-76-71=222

Source:[7]

Final round

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Saturday, June 16, 1951 (afternoon)

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
1   Ben Hogan 76-73-71-67=287 +7 4,000
2   Clayton Heafner 72-75-73-69=289 +9 2,000
3   Bobby Locke 73-71-74-73=291 +11 1,500
T4   Julius Boros 74-74-71-74=293 +13 700
  Lloyd Mangrum 75-74-74-70=293
T6   Al Besselink 72-77-72-73=294 +14 387
  Dave Douglas 75-70-75-74=294
  Fred Hawkins 76-72-75-71=294
  Paul Runyan 73-74-72-75=294
T10   Al Brosch 73-74-76-72=295 +15 187
  Smiley Quick 73-76-74-72=295
  Skee Riegel 75-76-71-73=295
  Sam Snead 71-78-72-74=295

Source:[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Hogan fires 3-under 67 to win third Open crown". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 17, 1951. p. 1B.
  2. ^ "Mighty Hogan baffles par to cop Open". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. June 17, 1951. p. 14.
  3. ^ Owosso, Michigan (July 26, 1991). "Still a 'monster'". Argus-Press. Associated Press. p. 11.
  4. ^ a b Garrity, John (June 10, 1996). "Making the Monster". Sports Illustrated. p. G32.
  5. ^ "Nation Open golf scores". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 15, 1951. p. 22.
  6. ^ "National Open tourney scores". Youngtown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. June 16, 1951. p. 7.
  7. ^ a b "National Open tourney scores". Youngtown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. June 17, 1951. p. D-1.
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42°32′38″N 83°16′37″W / 42.544°N 83.277°W / 42.544; -83.277