A trophy is a reward for a significant achievement. Although there are many events played during the season, in the game of golf, there are several standout trophies which every professional player wishes to add to his viewing cabinet - the four Majors and the FedEx Cup. Although all wins are accompanied by a large check, it is the trophy which is raised high above the head which proudly displays the victory which preceded the struggle.
This golf blog was sent in by Dennis Phoenix, who asked if Golf for Beginners readers would be interested in a short history lesson on the U.S. Open Golf Trophy. The answer was, of course, we're always learning! Enjoy.
Dennis Phoenix is an avid
sports fanatic and human resource specialist. He enjoys writing on the topics
of business and sports history for AbleTrophies. For Dennis, the perfect weekend includes watching sports and
mountain biking.
Two professional golf trophies have namesakes. For
example, there is the Wanamaker Trophy that is awarded to the winner of the PGA Championship and the Claret Jug for the British Open. The Masters Trophy is just that but it accompanies the famous Green Jacket. But this is not the case with the U.S. Open Trophy even though it has been in existence since 1895. This makes it the oldest
trophy of the four handed out during golf’s Grand Slam.
Design
The trophy is a rather simple design. It is a silver jug set
on top of a matching base. From each side extends an ear shaped handle. At the
top of trophy stands a small winged female figure on the cup’s lid. From the
top, the trophy tapers until it meets the wide base. On the barrel of the trophy
the name of the winner is engraved in block type. The opposite side displays an
engraved golf scene.
History
The first US Open trophy was awarded in 1895 at Newport
Country Club in Rhode Island. The first golfer to claim the prize was Horace
Rawlins from Britain. Along with the trophy, he took home a prize purse
totaling a whopping $150. As was the custom at the time, Rawlins had the honor
of displaying the trophy at his local club for one year and returning it for
the next U.S. Open.
In the opening years of the golf tournament, the trophy was
regularly won by the more experienced British golfers. But that changed in 1911
when native born John McDermott took home the trophy. Since that time, the
trophy has been claimed by Americans on a regular basis.
In 1946 the original trophy was destroyed in a fire while on
display at the Tam O’Shanter country Club near Chicago. The current trophy,
which is closely modeled after the original, is no longer kept by the winner
until the following tournament. Since
then, the US Golf Association has taken steps to ensure the trophy’s continued
safety.
In 1986, The U.S. Open Trophy was ‘retired’ and is currently housed
permanently in the USGA museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History in Far
Hills, N.J. It is brought out for promotional events and displayed at the US
Open.
Instead of getting possession of the original for a year,
the US Open winner is awarded a replica of the trophy which they get to keep. As an odd 'aside', the winner is then responsible for having his own name engraved
on the trophy.
Facts
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| 2002 U.S. Open Winner Tiger Woods |
The youngest champion was John McDermott who won the trophy
in 1911 at the age of 19. You may remember his name from earlier. He was also
the first American to win the US Open.
The oldest champion is Hale Irwin who took the prize in 1990
at the tender age of 45.
The most consecutive U.S. Open Championship starts was forty-four, by Jack
Nicklaus - he competed in every Open from 1957 to 2000.
This year marked the U.S. Open’s 113th tournament. The
tournament has been cancelled a total of five times in its history, twice for
World War I and three times for World War II.
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