As of this week, Sinek Hills has hosted the U.S. Open a total of four times. Here’s a quick look at those memorable moments.
1986: A Historic Win
Raymond Floyd, at 43 years and 9 months, became the oldest player to clinch the U.S. Open title. (Interestingly, Hale Irwin later beat that record in 1990 at age 45.)
Floyd ended the final round with a flawless 4-under 66, wrapping up the tournament at 1-under and finishing two strokes ahead of Chip Beck and Lanny Wadkins. That win marked Floyd’s fourth and final major championship.
In reminiscing years later, Floyd, a member of Shinekook, mentioned losing the lead during the final round at the Westchester Classic just before the Open. It must have been tough to walk away empty-handed.
He recalled that, as he approached the 10th tee, he saw his wife Maria in the gallery. She later told him she knew he was destined for victory just by looking at his face. She referred to it as “the stare”—that focused look that meant he was in the zone.
1995: The Shot Everyone Remembers
Corey Pavin’s win is forever linked to his incredible uphill, 228-yard 4-wood shot on the final hole. It landed a mere five feet from the pin, securing his sole major victory.
Entering the day with a three-shot advantage over Greg Norman and Tom Lehman, Pavin shot a steady 2-under 68. Interestingly, he initially considered using a 2-iron for his approach, which could have changed everything.
His caddy, Eric Schwartz, pressed him to use the 4-wood instead. “I was one up from that shot,” Pavin recalled. “I knew par was crucial if I wanted to win. The wind was a challenge, and I figured hitting the right side of the green was the way to go. Once I hit it, I was sure it was good.”
2004: A Round to Remember
Retief Goossen made a remarkable 11 one-putts on daunting greens during the final round, keeping Phil Mickelson at bay. This marked Goosen’s second U.S. Open victory, coming four years after his prior win in 2001. He finished the tournament at 4-under, two strokes ahead of Mickelson.
Conditions were anything but easy, with Goosen shooting a 71 against an average of 78.7 for the field. The crucial moments came on the final two holes: Mickelson struggled, three-putting the 17th for double bogey, while Goosen calmly made par. He wrapped it up by also paring the 18th to maintain his two-stroke lead.
2018: The Repeat Champion
Brooks Koepka made headlines as the first player in nearly 30 years to win back-to-back U.S. Open titles, a feat last accomplished by Curtis Strange in 1988-89.
Koepka shot a 2-under 68 in his final round, fending off a strong challenge from Tommy Fleetwood, who shot a remarkable 63 that day. Koepka ended the tournament at one over, while Fleetwood finished with two over.
Interestingly, Dustin Johnson, a close friend of Koepka and the 2016 U.S. Open champion, had led or shared the lead through the first three rounds. However, his final round saw him miss several crucial putts, including four birdies and a par attempt from within seven feet.
