U.S. Open: Ranking the 25 Most Dominant Performances in History
By Bill Felber
9. Jack Nicklaus, 1972, Pebble Beach, -2.88
The 1972 U.S. Open was an experiment of sorts, the first time in memory that the USGA had taken the event to anything other than a private club. But Pebble proved its mettle, holding Nicklaus to even par through the tournament’s first three days. Still that score was still good enough to lead Arnold Palmer, Bruce Crampton, Lee Trevino and Kermit Zarley by a stroke.
On Sunday, conditions turned even more brutal. None of the leaders managed to better par, Nicklaus hanging on as well as any of them. Bogeys at four and five allowed Palmer to catch Nicklaus, but only until Arnold gave up a stroke at the par 5 sixth.
Nicklaus made the turn two ahead of Palmer and Crampton, birdied the 15th to go three ahead, then clanked a 1-iron off the flagstick at 17 for a clinching birdie.
Following up on his Masters win, the victory allowed Nicklaus to set his sights on the idea of a calendar year grand slam, as Woods would do 40 years later. Unlike Woods, Nicklaus would make a serious run at the Brit, falling one stroke out of a potential playoff with the champion, Lee Trevino.
As for the USGA’s flirtation with Pebble Beach, it turned into a full-blown, passionate romance. The U.S. Open returned in 1982, and will be played there for the sixth time this week.