Steve Rudman has written an interesting collection of facts about the U.S. Open in the sports section of the Seattle P.I. One involved the famous 1913 Open in which Francis Quimet, a twenty year old amateur beat the professional Harry Vardon. I’ve reported on the extraordinary book about this Open The Greatest Game Ever Played written by Mark Frost which describes that year’s Open. The book was later made into a movie by the same title in 2005. Rudman notes the famous six inch putt which the professional, Vardon, missed which would have won. Instead, he missed it pushing the contest into a three way tie and allowing Quimet to win in the playoff. In the same Open Willie Chisholm became the only gofer in Open history to shoot an 18 on a par three hole.

Rudman also says that Phil Rogers, in 1962 was the only golfer to lose the Open because his ball landed in a pine tree and ended up on a branch four feet off the ground. He says Rogers decided to hit the ball instead of taking a one stroke penalty. Unfortunately, he swung four times. On the first attempt the ball dropped down a branch and it took three more to get it out of the tree. He ended up losing the Open by only two strokes.

In the 2001 Open, Rudman says Stewart Cink’s ball was a mere eighteen inches from the hole. He tried to tap it in to clear the green and in his haste he instead skidded it away resulting in a double bogey. That cost him a position in the playoff.

In describing Bob Rosburg’s loss in the 1969 Open, Rudman says Rosburg was glad he blew a three foot putt which would have won the Open. According to Rudman, Rosburg said: "If I’d made that putt and won the prize money and everything else that comes when you win the U.S. Open, my wife at the time (whom he was trying to divorce) wouldn’t have granted me the divorce. That, or, she would have demanded a fortune…"