1952 U.S. Open (golf)


The 1952 U.S. Open was the 52nd U.S. Open, held June 12–14 at Northwood Club in Dallas, Texas. Julius Boros captured the first of his three major titles, four strokes ahead of runner-up Ed Oliver.
Two-time defending champion Ben Hogan, raised in nearby Fort Worth, attempted to become the second to win three consecutive U.S. Opens, and with two rounds of 69 he had the 36-hole lead, two strokes ahead of George Fazio. But consecutive rounds of 74 in the Saturday heat dropped Hogan back to third place, five strokes behind. Boros carded a third-round 68 to take a two-stroke lead, then shot a 71 for a 281 total and waited in the clubhouse to see if anyone would catch him, but none did. The closest was Oliver with a 72 to finish at 285, four behind Boros. Temperatures reached under sunny skies on Saturday, with a gallery estimated at 15,000.
Hogan was admittedly affected by the heat, and his final round included an out-of-bounds approach shot on the dogleg par-4 sixth hole and numerous three-putts. Boros successfully scrambled during both rounds on Saturday, chipping close and making lengthy putts. Hogan told Boros he was "a magician."
It was Boros' first win on the PGA Tour at the age of 32; just three years earlier he reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur. Boros won 17 more times as a professional, including a second U.S. Open in 1963. Five years later he won the PGA Championship in 1968 at age 48, the oldest ever to win a major championship.
Hogan regained the title in 1953 for four U.S. Open wins in five attempts. Through 2015, Willie Anderson remains the only winner of three consecutive U.S. Opens, with titles in 1903, 1904, and 1905. The only repeat winners since 1951 are Curtis Strange in 1989 and Brooks Koepka in 2018.
The PGA Championship in 1952 was played the following week in Louisville, Kentucky. Boros was not eligible as he had been a pro less than five years, but received a special invitation from the PGA of America. He withdrew before his start time of the stroke-play qualifier on Wednesday after dissension from other players.
Boros' wife had died the previous September during the birth of their only child, son Jay.

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Missed the cut

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Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 12, 1952
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Al Brosch68−2
2Ben Hogan69−1
T3Sam Snead70E
T3Dick Metz70E
T3Horton Smith70E
T6Charlie Bassler71+1
T6Julius Boros71+1
T6Clarence Doser71+1
T6Zell Eaton71+1
T6Charles Farlow71+1
T6George Fazio71+1
T6Dutch Harrison71+1
T6Ted Kroll71+1
T6Stanton Mosel71+1
T6Ed Oliver71+1
T6Harry Todd71+1

Second round

Friday, June 13, 1952
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Ben Hogan69-69=138−2
2George Fazio71-69=140E
3Johnny Bulla73-68=141+1
4Julius Boros71-71=142+2
T5Ed Oliver71-72=143+3
T5Horton Smith70-73=143+3
T5Lew Worsham72-71=143+3
T8Clarence Doser71-73=144+4
T8Dick Metz70-74=144+4
T10Charles Scally72-73=145+5
T10Sam Snead70-75=145+5
T10Bill Trombley72-73=145+5

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Third round

Saturday, June 14, 1952
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Julius Boros71-71-68=210E
2Ben Hogan69-69-74=212+2
3Ed Oliver71-72-70=213+3
4Johnny Bulla73-68-73=214+4
5George Fazio71-69-75=215+5
T6Clarence Doser71-73-73=217+7
T6Lew Worsham72-71-74=217+7
T8Tommy Bolt72-76-71=219+9
T8Horton Smith70-73-76=219+9
T8Bo Wininger78-72-69=219+9

Final round

Saturday, June 14, 1952
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney
1Julius Boros71-71-68-71=281+14,000
2Ed Oliver71-72-70-72=285+52,500
3Ben Hogan69-69-74-74=286+61,000
4Johnny Bulla73-68-73-73=287+7800
5George Fazio71-69-75-75=290+10600
6Dick Metz70-74-76-71=291+11500
T7Tommy Bolt72-76-71-73=292+12350
T7Ted Kroll71-75-76-70=292+12350
T7Lew Worsham72-71-74-75=292+12350
T10Lloyd Mangrum75-74-72-72=293+13200
T10Sam Snead70-75-76-72=293+13200
T10Earl Stewart76-75-70-72=293+13200

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