U.S. Open: Ranking the 25 Most Dominant Performances in History
By Bill Felber
No. 11-15
15. Fuzzy Zoeller, 1984, Winged Foot, -2.74
14. Lee Janzen, 1993, Baltusrol, -2.75
13. Lee Trevino, 1968, Oak Hill, -2.76
12. Tiger Woods, 2002, Bethpage Black, -2.77
11. Lee Janzen, 1998, Olympic, -2.80
As he had done in 2000 at Pebble Beach, Woods controlled the 2002 event from start to finish. His opening round 67 was good for a one-stroke lead over Sergio Garcia, and he expanded that margin to four by Saturday.
Coming on the heels of his Masters victory that April, he hoped the Open win might propel him to a calendar Grand Slam, but he fared poorly at the following month’s British Open.
Only three players hold two places in this top 25: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and … Lee Janzen? His 1993 victory at Baltusrol thrust Janzen into the first rank of tour pros.
At Olympic in 1998, Janzen stood in a tie for fourth, four strokes behind Payne Stewart, through three rounds. But he flourished on Olympic’s challenging greens, playing the final 15 holes in four-under to close with a 68 that edged Stewart by a stroke.
Trevino’s victory at Oak Hill transformed him from an unknown into a celebrity almost literally overnight. Having learned golf in the Army, he became the first player of Hispanic origin to win a major.
Already a major champion by virtue of his 1979 Masters victory, Zoeller battled Greg Norman through four rounds and then through an 18-hole playoff, winning that one 66-75. Zoeller’s Friday 66 was the week’s low round.