1996 U.S. Open (golf)

1996 U.S. Open
Tournament information
Dates June 13–16, 1996
Location Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Course(s) Oakland Hills Country Club
South Course
Organized by USGA
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Statistics
Par 70
Length 6,974 yards (6,377 m)
Field 156 players, 108 after cut
Cut 148 (+8)
Prize fund $2.4 million
Winner's share $425,000
Champion
United States Steve Jones
278 (–2)
«1995
1997»
Oakland Hills Country Club
Location in the United States

The 1996 U.S. Open was the 96th U.S. Open, held June 13–16 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Birmingham, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit. Steve Jones won his only major title, one stroke ahead of runners-up Tom Lehman and Davis Love III.[1][2][3][4]

Jones went through an incredible journey just to get to Oakland Hills. He had won four PGA Tour events, the last in 1989, but in November 1991 he was involved in a dirt bike accident that threatened to end his career. He separated his shoulder and sprained an ankle, as well as suffering ligament damage in his index finger. Jones was sidelined for three years, not making it back on tour until 1994. His win here came in his first U.S. Open since 1991, and he was the first champion to go through sectional qualifying since tour rookie Jerry Pate in 1976.[3] After this win, Jones won three more times on tour.

This was the eighth major championship at the South Course, which previously hosted the U.S. Open in 1924, 1937, 1951, 1961, and 1985, and the PGA Championship in 1972 and 1979. It later hosted the PGA Championship in 2008.

Course layout

South Course [5]

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards4335231944304553564054402203,4564503995601704714004032004653,5186,974
Par453444443354453444343570

Lengths of the course for previous majors:

Past champions in the field

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Ernie Els  South Africa 1994 72 67 72 70 281 +1 T5
Lee Janzen  United States 1993 68 75 71 69 283 +3 T10
Tom Watson  United States 1982 70 71 71 72 284 +4 T13
Curtis Strange  United States 1988, 1989 74 73 71 69 287 +7 T27
Jack Nicklaus  United States 1962, 1967,
1972, 1980
72 74 69 72 287 +7 T27
Payne Stewart  United States 1991 67 71 76 73 287 +7 T27
Scott Simpson  United States 1987 70 71 76 72 289 +9 T40
Corey Pavin  United States 1995 73 70 72 74 289 +9 T40
Hale Irwin  United States 1974, 1979, 1990 72 71 73 74 290 +10 T50
Tom Kite  United States 1992 76 71 72 75 294 +14 T82

All ten former champions in the field made the cut.

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 13, 1996

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Woody Austin United States67–3
Payne Stewart United States
T3Lee Janzen United States68–2
John Morse United States
T5Paul Azinger United States69–1
David Berganio, Jr. United States
Stewart Cink United States
Bob Ford United States
Frank Nobilo New Zealand
Masashi Ozaki Japan
Philip Walton Ireland
Gary Trivisonno United States

Second round

Friday, June 14, 1996

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Payne Stewart United States67-71=138–2
T2Woody Austin United States67-72=139–1
Ernie Els South Africa72-67=139
Greg Norman Australia73-66=139
T5Ken Green United States73-67=140E
Steve Jones United States74-66=140
Davis Love III United States71-69=140
Frank Nobilo New Zealand69-71=140
Sam Torrance Scotland71-69=140
T10Billy Andrade United States72-69=141+1
David Berganio, Jr. United States69-72=141
John Cook United States70-71=141
John Daly United States72-69=141
Jim Furyk United States72-69=141
Neal Lancaster United States74-67=141
Masashi Ozaki Japan69-72=141
Scott Simpson United States70-71=141
Tom Watson United States70-71=141

Amateurs: Scott (+4), Woods (+5), Kuehne (+8), Leen (+8), Hobby (+10), Edstrom (+14).

Third round

Saturday, June 15, 1996

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Tom Lehman United States71-72-65=208–2
2Steve Jones United States74-66-69=209–1
T3Davis Love III United States71-69-70=210E
John Morse United States68-74-68=210
Frank Nobilo New Zealand69-71-70=210
T6Woody Austin United States67-72-72=211+1
Ernie Els South Africa72-67-72=211
Jim Furyk United States72-69-70=211
Colin Montgomerie Scotland70-72-69=211
Sam Torrance Scotland71-69-71=211

Final round

Sunday, June 16, 1996

Lehman, the leader after 54 holes, led Jones by three going to the back-nine in the final round. He relinquished the lead, however, with bogeys at 10 and 12. At the 18th, he drove into a bunker and missed a 15-foot (4.6 m) putt to save par. Love made a charge on the last day, recording birdies at 11, 12, and 15. But he bogeyed the final two holes, missing a 3-footer for par at the last. Jones, unlike Lehman and Love, did not bogey the last. Tied with Lehman and playing in the same group, he hit his approach to 12 feet (3.7 m) and two-putted for par from there to prevail by one.[3][4]

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
1 Steve Jones  United States 74-66-69-69=278 –2 425,000
T2 Tom Lehman  United States 71-72-65-71=279 –1 204,801
Davis Love III  United States 71-69-70-69=279
4 John Morse  United States 68-74-68-70=280 E 111,235
T5 Ernie Els  South Africa 72-67-72-70=281 +1 84,965
Jim Furyk  United States 72-69-70-70=281
T7 Ken Green  United States 73-67-72-70=282 +2 66,295
Scott Hoch  United States 73-71-71-67=282
Vijay Singh  Fiji 71-72-70-69=282
T10 Lee Janzen  United States 68-75-71-69=283 +3 52,591
Colin Montgomerie  Scotland 70-72-69-72=283
Greg Norman  Australia 73-66-74-70=283

Amateurs: Leen (+11), Kuehne (+13), Woods (+14), Scott (+21)

References

  1. Dorman, Larry (June 17, 1996). "Inspired Jones claims U.S. Open title". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. (New York Times). p. C1.
  2. Bonk, Thomas (June 17, 1996). "Stellar field humbled by a man named Jones". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. (Los Angeles Times). p. 1B.
  3. 1 2 3 Reilly, Rick (June 24, 1996). "Dear Mr. Hogan,". Sports Illustrated. p. 38.
  4. 1 2 Parascenzo, Marino (June 17, 1996). "Steve who?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. B-1.
  5. "1996 U.S. Open: Card of the course". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 13, 1996. p. D-2.

External links

Preceded by
1996 Masters
Major Championships Succeeded by
1996 Open Championship

Coordinates: 42°32′38″N 83°16′37″W / 42.544°N 83.277°W / 42.544; -83.277

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