The U.S. Open is considered one of the biggest tests in golf.
While all other major tournaments have had at least one golfer win five or more times, no golfer has won more than four times in the U.S. Open. And with Tiger Woods announcing that he will not be playing in the 2022 U.S. Open, no golfers will be joining the group that has won at least four times.
In the current field, only Brooks Koepka has won the event multiple times.
The Sporting News looks at the history of golfers who have won the U.S. Open.
US Open winners by year
Jack Nicklaus is tied with Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan for most U.S. Open wins. The Golden Bear claimed his victories in 1962, 1967, 1972 and 1980.
Woods won in 2000, 2002 and 2008, while Koepka, who could tie Woods and Hale Irwin for the fifth-most wins with a third, won his titles in 2017 and 2018.
Here’s the all-time list of U.S. Open winners:
| Year | Golfer | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Matt Fitzpatrick | -6 |
| 2021 | Jon Rahm | -6 |
| 2020 | Bryson DeChambeau | -6 |
| 2019 | Gary Woodland | -13 |
| 2018 | Brooks Koepka | +1 |
| 2017 | Brooks Koepka | -16 |
| 2016 | Dustin Johnson | -4 |
| 2015 | Jordan Spieth | -5 |
| 2014 | Martin Kaymer | -9 |
| 2013 | Justin Rose | +1 |
| 2012 | Webb Simpson | +1 |
| 2011 | Rory McIlroy | -16 |
| 2010 | Graeme McDowell | E |
| 2009 | Lucas Glover | -4 |
| 2008 | Tiger Woods | -1 |
| 2007 | Angel Cabrera | +5 |
| 2006 | Geoff Ogilvy | +5 |
| 2005 | Michael Campbell | E |
| 2004 | Retief Goosen | -4 |
| 2003 | Jim Furyk | -8 |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods | -3 |
| 2001 | Retief Goosen | -4 |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods | -12 |
| 1999 | Payne Stewart | -1 |
| 1998 | Lee Janzen | E |
| 1997 | Ernie Els | -4 |
| 1996 | Steve Jones | -2 |
| 1995 | Corey Pavin | E |
| 1994 | Ernie Els | -5 |
| 1993 | Lee Janzen | -8 |
| 1992 | Tom Kite | -3 |
| 1991 | Payne Stewart | -6 |
| 1990 | Hale Irwin | -8 |
| 1989 | Curtis Strange | -2 |
| 1988 | Curtis Strange | -6 |
| 1987 | Scott Simpson | -3 |
| 1986 | Raymond Floyd | -1 |
| 1985 | Andy North | -1 |
| 1984 | Funny Zoeller | -4 |
| 1983 | Larry Nelson | -4 |
| 1982 | Tom Watson | -6 |
| 1981 | David Graham | -7 |
| 1980 | Jack Nicklaus | -8 |
| 1979 | Hale Irwin | E |
| 1978 | Andy North | +1 |
| 1977 | Hubert Green | -2 |
| 1976 | Jerry Pate | -3 |
| 1975 | Lou Graham | +3 |
| 1974 | Hale Irwin | +7 |
| 1973 | Johnny Miller | -5 |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus | +2 |
| 1971 | Lee Trevino | E |
| 1970 | Tony Jacklin | -7 |
| 1969 | Orville Moody | +1 |
| 1968 | Lee Trevino | -5 |
| 1967 | Jack Nicklaus | -5 |
| 1966 | Billy Casper | -2 |
| 1965 | Gary Player | +2 |
| 1964 | Ken Venturi | -2 |
| 1963 | Julius Boros | +9 |
| 1962 | Jack Nicklaus | -1 |
| 1961 | Gene Littler | +1 |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer | -4 |
| 1959 | Billy Casper | +2 |
| 1958 | Tommy Bolt | +3 |
| 1957 | Dick Mayer | +2 |
| 1956 | Cary Middlecoff | +1 |
| 1955 | Jack Fleck | +7 |
| 1954 | Ed Furgol | +4 |
| 1953 | Ben Hogan | -5 |
| 1952 | Julius Boros | +1 |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan | +7 |
| 1950 | Ben Hogan | +7 |
| 1949 | Cary Middlecoff | +2 |
| 1948 | Ben Hogan | -8 |
| 1947 | Les Worsham | -2 |
| 1946 | Lloyd Mangrum* | -4 |
| 1941 | Craig Wood | +4 |
| 1940 | Lawson Little | -1 |
| 1939 | Byron Nelson | +8 |
| 1938 | Ralph Guldahl | E |
| 1937 | Ralph Guldahl | -7 |
| 1936 | Tony Manero | -6 |
| 1935 | Sam Parks Jr. | +11 |
| 1934 | Olin Dutra | +13 |
| 1933 | Johnny Goodman | -1 |
| 1932 | Gene Sarazen | +6 |
| 1931 | Billy Burke | +8 |
| 1930 | Bobby Jones | -1 |
| 1929 | Bobby Jones | +6 |
| 1928 | Johnny Farrell | +10 |
| 1927 | Tommy Armour | +13 |
| 1926 | Bobby Jones | +5 |
| 1925 | William Macfarlane | +7 |
| 1924 | Cyril Walker | +9 |
| 1923 | Bobby Jones | +8 |
| 1922 | Gene Sarazen | +8 |
| 1921 | James M. Barnes | +9 |
| 1920 | Edward Ray | +7 |
| 1919 | Walter Hagen* | +17 |
| 1916 | Charles Evans Jr. | -2 |
| 1915 | Jerome D. Travers | +9 |
| 1914 | Walter Hagen | +2 |
| 1913 | Francis Ouimet | +20 |
| 1912 | John J. McDermott | -2 |
| 1911 | John J. McDermott | +3 |
| 1910 | Alex Smith | +6 |
| 1909 | George Sargent | 290 |
| 1908 | Fred McLeod | 322 |
| 1907 | Alex Ross | 302 |
| 1906 | Alex Smith | 295 |
| 1905 | Willie Anderson | 314 |
| 1904 | Willie Anderson | 303 |
| 1903 | Willie Anderson | 307 |
| 1902 | Laurence Auchterlonie | 307 |
| 1901 | Willie Anderson | 331 |
| 1900 | Harry Vardon | 313 |
| 1899 | Willie Smith | 315 |
| 1898 | Fred Herd | 328 |
| 1897 | Joe Lloyd | 162 |
| 1896 | James Foulis | 152 |
| 1895 | Horace Rawlins | 173 |
* The U.S. Open was canceled in 1917 and 1918, and from 1942-45, due to war.
How much does the US Open winner make?
The U.S. Open is the most lucrative major on the PGA Tour. Golfers since 2017 have pocketed at least $2 million for winning it.
In the first U.S. Open in 1895, Horace Rawlins made only $150 for winning (though with inflation, it would obviously be worth more today).
Here’s a look at the payouts for each U.S. Open, according to GolfLink.com.
| Year | Payout |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $3.15 million |
| 2021 | $2.25 million |
| 2020 | $2.25 million |
| 2019 | $2.25 million |
| 2018 | $2.16 million |
| 2017 | $2.16 million |
| 2016 | $1.8 million |
| 2015 | $1.8 million |
| 2014 | $1.62 million |
| 2013 | $1.44 million |
| 2012 | $1.44 million |
| 2011 | $1.44 million |
| 2010 | $1.35 million |
| 2009 | $1.35 million |
| 2008 | $1.35 million |
| 2007 | $1.26 million |
| 2006 | $1.225 million |
| 2005 | $1.17 million |
| 2004 | $1.125 million |
| 2003 | $1.08 million |
| 2002 | $1 million |
| 2001 | $900,000 |
| 2000 | $800,000 |
| 1999 | $625,000 |
| 1998 | $535,000 |
| 1997 | $465,000 |
| 1996 | $425,000 |
| 1995 | $350,000 |
| 1994 | $320,000 |
| 1993 | $290,000 |
| 1992 | $275,000 |
| 1991 | $235,000 |
| 1990 | $220,000 |
| 1989 | $200,000 |
| 1988 | $180,000 |
| 1987 | $150,000 |
| 1986 | $115,00 |
| 1985 | $103,000 |
| 1984 | $94,000 |
| 1983 | $72,000 |
| 1982 | $60,000 |
| 1981 | $55,000 |
| 1980 | $55,000 |
| 1979 | $50,000 |
| 1978 | $45,000 |
| 1977 | $45,000 |
| 1976 | $42,000 |
| 1975 | $40,000 |
| 1974 | $35,000 |
| 1973 | $35,000 |
| 1972 | $30,000 |
| 1971 | $30,000 |
| 1970 | $30,000 |
| 1969 | $30,000 |
| 1968 | $30,000 |
| 1967 | $30,000 |
| 1966 | $26,500 |
| 1965 | $26,000 |
| 1964 | $17,000 |
| 1963 | $17,500 |
| 1962 | $17,500 |
| 1961 | $14,000 |
| 1960 | $14,400 |
| 1959 | $12,000 |
| 1958 | $8,000 |
| 1957 | $7,200 |
| 1956 | $6,000 |
| 1955 | $6,000 |
| 1954 | $6,000 |
| 1953 | $5,000 |
| 1952 | $4,000 |
| 1951 | $4,000 |
| 1950 | $4,000 |
| 1949 | $2,000 |
| 1948 | $2,000 |
| 1947 | $2,500 |
| 1946 | $1,833 |
| 1941 | $1,000 |
| 1940 | $1,000 |
| 1939 | $1,000 |
| 1938 | $1,000 |
| 1937 | $1,000 |
| 1936 | $1,000 |
| 1935 | $1,000 |
| 1934 | $1,000 |
| 1933 | $1,000 |
| 1932 | $1,000 |
| 1931 | $1,750 |
| 1930 | $1,000 |
| 1929 | $1,000 |
| 1928 | $500 |
| 1927 | $500 |
| 1926 | $500 |
| 1925 | $500 |
| 1924 | $500 |
| 1923 | $500 |
| 1922 | $500 |
| 1921 | $500 |
| 1920 | $500 |
| 1919 | $500 |
| 1916 | $300 |
| 1915 | $300 |
| 1914 | $300 |
| 1913 | $300 |
| 1912 | $300 |
| 1911 | $300 |
| 1910 | $300 |
| 1909 | $300 |
| 1908 | $300 |
| 1907 | $300 |
| 1906 | $300 |
| 1905 | $200 |
| 1904 | $200 |
| 1903 | $200 |
| 1902 | $200 |
| 1901 | $200 |
| 1900 | $200 |
| 1899 | $150 |
| 1898 | $150 |
| 1897 | $150 |
| 1896 | $150 |
| 1895 | $150 |
