The U.S. Open: The 10 Best Players From Each Decade
By Bill Felber
The U.S. Open: 1980-1989
Only one player’s U.S. Open excellence has spanned three decades. Jack Nicklaus was No. 2 during the 1960s, No. 1 during the 1970s, and into his 40s he holds on to the No. 8 spot for the1980s.
That includes victory at the 1980 U.S. Open at Baltusrol, and famously a runner-up to Tom Watson at Pebble Beach in 1982.
Nicklaus’ game certainly aged along with his body, but he still made eight cuts between 1980 and 1989, tying for sixth in 1981 and for eighth in 1986.
Top 10 players of the 1980 to 1989 Era
1. Tom Watson, -1.08
2. Lanny Wadkins, -1.07
3. Curtis Strange, -0.92
4. Fuzzy Zoeller, -0.89
5. Ben Crenshaw, -0.86
6. Calvin Peete, -0.84
7. Scott Simpson, -0.80
8. Jack Nicklaus, -0.77
9. Jim Thorpe, -0.71
10. Chip Beck, -0.65
Given Strange’s status as the decade’s only two-time champion – he won at The Country Club in 1988 and at Oak Hill in 1989 — how did he manage nothing better than a third-place standing overall? The answer, obviously, lies in the rest of the math.
Aside from those two victories, Strange had two strong Opens during the decade. He was third in 1984 and tied for fourth in 1987. Offsetting those, however, were three finishes outside the top 25.
Watson parlayed his 1982 victory with a runner-up in 1983, another runner-up in 1986, and a tie for third in 1980. That was just enough to offset two outside-the-top-25 finishes of his own and edge out Wadkins.
More. Decade by decade, the best of the Masters. light
Wadkins’ finish is constructed off a tie for second in 1986, three other top 10s, and two other top 15s.
All of that makes it sound as if there was no truly dominant player during the 1980s. That’d be correct. Watson’s dominance rating of -1.08 is the second lowest to lead any decade in U.S. Open history; only Metz’s -0.97 in the 1930s is weaker.
From a sociological standpoint, it may also be worth noting the presence of two African-American players on this decade-long top 10.
Calvin Peete stands sixth on the basis of five decent finishes with no poor numbers to drag down his average. Jim Thorpe is ninth thanks to tying for fourth in 1984 and for ninth in 1987.