Dates June 15–18, 1972 Cut 154 (+10) Tour PGA TOUR Prize fund 194,600 USD | Length 6,812 yards (6,229 m) Winner's share $30,000 Par 72 | |
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Field 150 players, 70 after cut Organized by United States Golf Association Similar 1970 US Open, 1986 US Open, 1990 US Open, 1993 US Open |
Jack nicklaus golf 1972 us open thug life
The 1972 U.S. Open was the 72nd U.S. Open, held June 15–18 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. Jack Nicklaus, age 32, captured his third U.S. Open title, three strokes ahead of runner-up Bruce Crampton. This was the first of six major championships held to date at Pebble Beach: five U.S. Opens and the PGA Championship in 1977.
Contents
- Jack nicklaus golf 1972 us open thug life
- Past champions in the field
- First round
- Second round
- Third round
- Final round
- References
Scoring conditions during the final round were extremely difficult; the average was 78.8, the highest in post-war U.S. Open history. Nicklaus' 290 (+2) was the second-highest winning score during that span. It was Nicklaus' 11th career major championship as a professional, tying the then-record of Walter Hagen. When combined with his two U.S. Amateur wins, it was his 13th major, equaling Bobby Jones for most all-time.
It was the second consecutive major title for Nicklaus, who won the Masters in April. Previous winners of the first two majors of the year were Craig Wood (1941), Ben Hogan (1951, 1953), and Arnold Palmer (1960); later champions of both were Tiger Woods (2002) and Jordan Spieth (2015). In addition, he held the PGA Championship title from February 1971; four weeks later, he was the runner-up by a single stroke at the Open Championship at Muirfield, Scotland.
Nicklaus won seven additional majors, the last at the Masters fourteen years later in 1986 at age 46.
Past champions in the field
Note: all eight former champions in the field made the cut.
First round
Thursday, June 15, 1972
Second round
Friday, June 16, 1972
Third round
Saturday, June 17, 1972
Final round
Sunday, June 18, 1972
After making a double-bogey at the 6th in the final round, Nicklaus owned a two-shot lead over Arnold Palmer. Palmer had a chance to tie Nicklaus at the 14th, but he missed a 10-footer (3 m) for birdie while Nicklaus converted an 8-foot (2.4 m) bogey putt. Now trailing by just one, Palmer then bogeyed his next two holes and finished with a final-round 76, four strokes behind Nicklaus.
With a three-shot lead over Bruce Crampton, Nicklaus approached the par-3 17th and hit one of his most famous shots. His 1-iron approach was hit directly at the hole, bounced once on the green, then hit the flagstick and settled inches from the hole for a tap-in birdie. He finished the round with a 74 (+2), enough to preserve the three-stroke lead over Crampton, who carded a 76.
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