Let's make one thing clear from the get-go. The course record at Oakmont Country Club is not the lowest round in U.S. Open history—at least not anymore anyway.
That mark, in terms of the actual number, that is, belongs to Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler, both of whom shot an 8-under 62 in the opening round of the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
That said, however, the course record at Oakmont Country Club and the greatest round in U.S. Open history are one and the same.
Now, perhaps I should've included the word "arguably" in the headline, as strong cases could undoubtedly be made for Arnold Palmer's final-round at Cherry Hills in 1960, Tiger Woods' gutsy performance on a broken leg at Torrey Pines in 2008, and so many other performances in the storied history of America's national championship.
But in the eyes of many, Johnny Miller setting the course record at one of the most challenging venues of all time by shooting the first 63 in major championship history to win the 1973 U.S. Open takes the cake.
Johnny Miller's course-record 63 at Oakmont helped him overcome a six-shot deficit to win the 1973 U.S. Open
Coming into the 1973 U.S. Open, then-26-year-old Johnny Miller had just two PGA Tour wins to his name but was seen as one of the future stars of the sport, tying for second at The Masters and fifth at the U.S. Open in 1971 and taking solo seventh at the 1972 U.S. Open.
And after opening his week at Oakmont, which then played as a par-71, with rounds of 71 and 69, the San Francisco native found himself in contention yet again, sitting in a tie for third at 2-under alongside major championship winners Jack Nicklaus and Bob Charles.
Jim Colbert sat in solo second at 4-under, while another multiple-time major champ, Gary Player, sat atop the 36-hole leaderboard at 5-under.
Miller seemingly played himself out of the tournament on Saturday with a third-round 76, leaving himself in 13th place at 3-over for the week, six shots behind 54-hole leaders Arnold Palmer, Julius Boros, John Schlee, and Jerry Heard.
Tom Weiskopf, who won The Open Championship a month later, sat in fifth at 2-under, with Charles, Colbert, and Lee Trevino tied for sixth at 1-under and Nicklaus and Player four back at 1-over.
If you're thinking there was an almost unbelievable amount of legends and Hall of Famers on that leaderboard, you're exactly right. And Johnny Miller surpassed every single one of them on Sunday, June 17, 1973.
The BYU alum came out firing to open his final round, making four consecutive birdies to get back into red figures.
A bogey at the 244-yard, par-3 eighth dropped him back to even, but he bounced right back with a birdie at the par-5 ninth, going out in 4-under 32 to start his second nine at 1-under.
After a par at the 10th, Miller birdied the par-4 11th, the par-5 12th, and the par-3 13th. After a par at the 14th, he found himself in a tie for the lead with Palmer, Boros, and Weiskopf. And with his ninth birdie of the day at the 453-yard, par-4 15th, he took the lead outright at 5-under, which is where he ultimately finished.
He nearly added a 10th at the 18th, but his 20-foot birdie effort lipped out. Nevertheless, when all was said and done, Miller had shot 8-under, making him the new owner of the Oakmont course record and the first-ever 63 in major championship history.
Making Miller's 63 all the more impressive is that only three other players in the field broke 70 that day. Throw in the fact that he hit all 18 greens in regulation—that's all 18 greens at freaking Oakmont
However, he still had to wait for those playing behind him to finish, all of whom obviously faded. Schlee, whose day got off to a disastrous start with a double at the opening hole, clawed his way back and got the closest to Miller, getting to 4-under with a birdie at the 16th. But with pars at 17 and 18, he fell a shot short of a playoff.
Weiskopf took solo third at 3-under, while Nicklaus, who was one of the four to break 70 with a 3-under 68, Palmer, and Trevino tied for fourth at 2-under.
While Miller's 63 has been matched and surpassed in majors many times over the years, he'll always be the first. And he remains one of just two players to shoot the number in the final round to win a major, the other being Henrik Stenson, who fired an 8-under 63 at Royal Troon to win The Open Championship in an epic duel with Phil Mickelson.
Miller added one more major to his resume, winning the 1976 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale by six shots over Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros after trailing the latter by two heading into the final round.
He also added another 23 PGA Tour victories and helped the U.S. to a pair of Ryder Cup victories, easily getting himself into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and also had a highly successful broadcasting career with NBC.
But Johnny Miller will forever and always be remembered most for the day he shot the course record at Oakmont. And that round may not only be the greatest round in U.S. Open history but the best round in major championship history.
But we'll save that argument for another day.