The U.S. Open: The 10 Best Players From Each Decade
By Bill Felber
The U.S. Open: 1958-1969
Arnie, Gary, or Jack? Who ya got for the 1960s?
Nicklaus won twice during the period, beating Palmer in a playoff at Oakmont in 1962 and winning again at Baltusrol in 1967. But the math favors Palmer ahead of Nicklaus and fellow two-time champion Billy Casper.
Top 10 players of the 1958 to 1969 Era
1. Arnold Palmer, -1.31
2. Jack Nicklaus, -1.14
3. Billy Casper, -1.11
4. Julius Boros, -0.97
5. Deane Beman, -0.85
6. Gary Player, -0.84
7. Ben Hogan, -0.84
8. Gene Littler, -0.80
9. Al Geiberger, -0.76
10. Don January, -0.75
More. Ranking The Best PGA Championship Competitors Of All-Time. light
Palmer wins because beyond his victory he accumulated seven top 10s during the period, four of them runner-ups.
Those came in playoff losses to Nicklaus in 1962, to Boros in 1963, to Casper in 1966, and finally four strokes behind Nicklaus in 1967.
Nicklaus was second to Palmer in 1960 and to Lee Trevino in 1968. But he only had two other top 10s during the period.
Beman’s name rarely surfaces when the era’s elites are mentioned.
But he had a consistent Open career in the 1960s, including five top 15s. It’s easy to forget that he was runner-up to Orville Moody, known as The Sarge, in 1969, and fourth behind Nicklaus in 1967.
Although Player is recalled as the era’s peer of Nicklaus and Palmer, his Open record doesn’t quite compare. He did win in 1965, and he finished second in 1958.
Beyond that, though, Player had only three other top fives for the 12-year period, with four finishes outside the top 15.