1985 U.S. Open (golf)

The 1985 U.S. Open was the 85th U.S. Open, held June 13–16 at the South Course of Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit. Andy North, the 1978 champion, won his second U.S. Open title by a stroke over runners-up Dave Barr, Chen Tze-chung, and Denis Watson.

Contents

• Course layout
• Missed the cut
• First round
• Second round
• Third round
• Final round
• References

Chen had a historic beginning to the U.S. Open. In his first three rounds, he established a new course record at Oakland Hills with a 65, made the first double-eagle in U.S. Open history, and established both 36 and 54-hole scoring records. Heading into the final round, he owned a one-stroke advantage over North, who shot 65 in the second round and 70 in the third. Chen increased his lead over North to four shots after just four holes of play. But at the 5th hole, disaster struck for Chen as he suffered one of the biggest single-hole blowups in tournament history. His approach shot found the greenside rough, and when he attempted to chip out he accidentally double-hit the ball. Assessed a stroke penalty, Chen then three-putted for a quadruple-bogey 8. Unnerved by the mistake, Chen proceeded to bogey the next three holes, and North took a one-stroke lead over Barr at the turn. Chen recovered with a birdie at 12, and after North bogeyed 9, 10, and 11, he found himself back in a share of the lead. North, however, would be the last man standing. He birdied 13 while Chen bogeyed 14 and 17 and Barr bogeyed his final two holes to finish at 280. With a two-stroke lead heading to the 18th, North two-putted for bogey and a one-stroke victory.

In the final round North hit only four fairways and recorded just one birdie. For the tournament, he had just nine birdies, the lowest by a champion in post-World War II U.S. Open history. North finished at 279 (–1), the only one to finish under par. It was his first PGA Tour win since the 1978 U.S. Open, and was his last on tour.

Jack Nicklaus shot 149 (+9) and missed the cut by three strokes, ending a streak of 21 consecutive cuts made at the U.S. Open.

This was the seventh major championship at the South Course, which previously hosted the U.S. Open in 1924, 1937, 1951, and 1961, and the PGA Championship in 1972 and 1979. It later hosted the U.S. Open in 1996 and the PGA Championship in 2008.