International Competitors for U.S. Open

by Steve DiMeglio
(USA TODAY)

SAN DIEGO — When Jim Furyk won the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields Country Club, he tightened the stranglehold Americans had on the good old US of A's national championship.
From John J. McDermott's win at Chicago Country Club in 1911 to Furyk's triumph more than 90 years later, those born outside of the USA won the U.S. Open just nine times. In one stretch, from Bobby Jones' win at Scioto in 1926 to Ken Venturi's heroic triumph at Congressional in 1964, the Americans always hoisted the trophy — a stretch of 35 consecutive Opens (the Open wasn't held from 1942-45 because of World War II).

But since Tiger Woods overpowered Pebble Beach to win by a record 15 strokes in 2000, international players have won five of the last seven Opens, including the last four — South Africa's Retief Goosen in 2004, New Zealand's Michael Campbell in 2005, Australia's Geoff Ogilvy in 2006 and Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who won at Oakmont last year and will defend his title this week at Torrey Pines.

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