From Tiger to Justin Rose: A Look Back at the Past 5 U.S. Open Champions

Winning the U.S. Open is a very big deal within the golf world. It’s a golf tournament that’s been played since 1895, and it’s one of the four major championships, aka “majors,” that PGA Tour golfers play each year.

Over the years, some of the biggest names in golf have been named U.S. Open champions. There have been some memorable U.S. Open golf champions, from Willie Anderson in the early 1900s and Bobby Jones throughout the 1920s to Tiger Woods in 2000 and 2002 to Justin Rose in 2013.

This year, you should visit Bout Time Pub and Grub to see who the 2023 U.S. Open golf champion will be. But it’d be worth learning about the last five U.S. Open champions before you do. Find out more about them below.

2018: Brooks Koepka

It’s been rare to see golfers named U.S. Open champions after failing to shoot under par. But that’s what Brooks Koepka did in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York.

Koepka shot one over par for the tournament to narrowly beat Tommy Fleetwood. But it was still impressive, seeing as how Koepka had also won the 2017 U.S. Open. He shot 16 under par in that tournament to take home the U.S. Open championship.

2019: Gary Woodland

In 2019, Koepka was once again in the running to be named a U.S. Open champion. But he couldn’t get the best of Gary Woodland, who up until that point had never finished in the Top 20 in a U.S. Open.

Woodland shot 16 under par at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California to win his first major title. In doing so, he beat Koepka by three strokes, stopping him from becoming the first golfer to win three straight U.S. Opens in over a century.

2020: Bryson DeChambeau

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 U.S. Open was postponed until September. It was also played without any spectators in attendance at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York.

Bryson DeChambeau was named the U.S. Open champion after shooting six under par in the tournament. He overcame a two-stroke deficit heading into the final round by outclassing then-21-year-old Matthew Wolff.

It was DeChambeau’s first major title. It also robbed Wolff of becoming the youngest U.S. Open champion since Bobby Jones back in 1923.

2021: Jon Rahm

After winning the 2020 U.S. Open, DeChambeau was once again in contention to take home another U.S. Open in 2021 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in California. But Jon Rahm added his name to the list of U.S. Open champions with a masterful final-round performance that saw him birdie the two final holes to best Louis Oosthuizen by a stroke.

During the tournament, Richard Bland, in his 40s, briefly became the oldest golfer ever to hold the lead after 36 holes. But like DeChambeau, he faded down the stretch, and Rahm won his first major title with a six-under-par score.

2022: Matt Fitzpatrick

Matt Fitzpatrick won his first PGA Tour event and his first major by becoming the U.S. Open champion in 2022. He shot a six under par at The Country Club in Massachusetts.

Fitzpatrick barely beat Will Zalatoris, who had a chance to send the tournament to a playoff with a putt on the final hole. But Zalatoris missed the putt and allowed Fitzpatrick to add his name to U.S. Open champions golf history.

Who Will Add Their Name to the U.S. Open Champions List in 2023?

The 2023 U.S. Open will occur at the Los Angeles Country Club from June 15 through June 18. If the last five years have shown us anything, expect the unexpected from the 2023 U.S. Open. Almost anyone could have their name added to the list of U.S. Open champions.

Are you looking forward to seeing who will win it all? Then, come out to Bout Time Pub and Grub to keep up with all the action.

Check out our hours and locations now and plan your 2023 U.S. Open weekend accordingly.