# The 17 Greatest US Open Golf Champions of All Time

> From golden-era trailblazers to modern-day major machines, a century of US Open history has produced champions for every era and style. Cast your vote!

*By YPB Team · Published June 21, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-17-greatest-us-open-golf-champions-of-all-time*

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## Current results (3 votes)

1. **Jack Nicklaus** — 66.67% (2 votes · score 1000/1000)
   Won four US Opens (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980) and is widely considered the greatest golfer of all time.
2. **Ben Hogan** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 689/1000)
   Four-time US Open champion (1948–1953) who won two titles after surviving a near-fatal car accident.
3. **Hale Irwin** — 0% (0 votes · score 665/1000)
   Three-time champion (1974, 1979, 1990) who became the oldest US Open winner at age 45.
4. **Willie Anderson** — 0% (0 votes · score 665/1000)
   First golfer to win four US Opens (1901–1905), setting a record that stood for decades.
5. **Jordan Spieth** — 0% (0 votes · score 596/1000)
   Won the 2015 US Open as part of a dominant season where he nearly completed the calendar Grand Slam.
6. **Ernie Els** — 0% (0 votes · score 596/1000)
   Won two US Opens (1994, 1997) as the smooth-swinging Big Easy from South Africa.
7. **Payne Stewart** — 0% (0 votes · score 517/1000)
   Two-time champion (1991, 1999) best remembered for his iconic fist-pump finish at Pinehurst No. 2.
8. **Tom Watson** — 0% (0 votes · score 517/1000)
   Won the 1982 US Open at Pebble Beach, completing a career that defined golf's golden era.
9. **Brooks Koepka** — 0% (0 votes · score 423/1000)
   Dominated with back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, proving he is at his best in the toughest tests.
10. **Phil Mickelson** — 0% (0 votes · score 423/1000)
   Finally won the 2021 US Open at age 50, becoming the oldest major champion in golf history.
11. **Johnny Miller** — 0% (0 votes · score 423/1000)
   Shot a final-round 63 at Oakmont in 1973, widely regarded as the greatest closing round in US Open history.
12. **Bryson DeChambeau** — 0% (0 votes · score 423/1000)
   Two-time champion (2020, 2024) who redefined the modern power game with his scientific approach to the sport.
13. **Arnold Palmer** — 0% (0 votes · score 310/1000)
   His iconic 1960 US Open charge helped make golf a television phenomenon and earned him a permanent place in major lore.
14. **Dustin Johnson** — 0% (0 votes · score 310/1000)
   Won the 2016 US Open at Oakmont after years of heartbreak in majors, finally breaking through on golf's biggest stage.
15. **Tiger Woods** — 0% (0 votes · score 310/1000)
   Won the US Open three times (2000, 2002, 2008), including a dominant 15-stroke victory at Pebble Beach in 2000.
16. **Bobby Jones** — 0% (0 votes · score 310/1000)
   Won four US Opens in the 1920s as an amateur and remains one of the most celebrated figures in golf history.
17. **Rory McIlroy** — 0% (0 votes · score 172/1000)
   Demolished the field at the 2011 US Open, setting a scoring record at Congressional.

Tags: usa, sports, golf, legends