How many non-Americans have won the US Open?
After three rounds of play the top of the US Open leaderboard is shared by players from three different countries.
With only one round remaining at the 2022 US Open, the leaderboard is a reflection of the diversity of winners over the last 20 years. Will Zalatoris (US) and Matt Fitpatrick (England) share the top spot with defending 2021 US Open winner Jon Rahm (Spain) just one shot back after a double-bogey on 18. They are joined by two other international players in the top 10: Adam Hadwin (Canada) and Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland).
2001 - 2021 US Open Winners
The US Open has been won 10 times over the last 20 years by players who were born outside of the US:
- 2001 Retief Goosen (South Africa)
- 2004 Retief Goosen (South Africa)
- 2005 Michael Campbell (New Zealand)
- 2006 Geoff Ogilvy (Australia)
- 2007 Angel Cabrera (Argentina)
- 2010 Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland)
- 2011 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
- 2013 Justin Rose (England)
- 2014 Martin Kaymer (Germany)
- 2021 Jon Rahm (Spain)
Looking back over the history of the US Open, which held its first competition in 1895, there are four periods that can be clearly subdivided according to the quantity (or lack of) of international winners. The last two decades of US Open winners, as seen above, have been equally divided between American and international golfers. Going back in time until the beginning in 1895, some different trends of US Open winners emerge according to nationalities.
1946- 2000 US Open winners
The US Open was not held from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II and going back from 2000 to 1946, only five victories came from players from outside of the United States:
- 1965 Gary Player (South Africa)
- 1970 Tony Jacklin (England)
- 1981 David Graham (Australia)
- 1994 and 1997 Ernie Els (South Africa)
1911- 1942 US Open Winners
Prior to World War II, the US golfers dominated their Open with only four foreign-born winners in the second period of the tournament:
- 1920 Ted Ray (Jersey)
- 1921 Jim Barnes (England)
- 1924 Cyril Walker (England)
- 1925 Willie MacFarlane (Scotland)
This era coincides with the domination of US amateur Bobby Jones, when he won the US Open in 1923, 1926, 1929 and 1930. Another American Hall of Fame golfer from that time frame was Gene Sarazen, who won the US Open in 1922 and 1932 as well as other majors before the war broke out in Europe.
1895 - 1910 US Open Winners
The initial period of the US Open was dominated by foreign-born golfers. Players from Scotland (12), England (3) and Jersey (1) prevailed the first 16 years of the tournament. The Scottish born golfer Willie Anderson is the only player to win four consecutive US Open titles (1901, 1902, 1903 and 1904). The only other players to win four US Opens over during their careers were American golfers, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus.
Since 1895 only the US Open has been won 35 times by non-American golfers. Of those victories 16 were before 1910 and 10 have been in the last 20 years. On Sunday at Brookline we’ll see if any of the 67 international players can come out on top and follow Jon Rahm’s success from last year.