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White Plains resident David Barrett tells the inside story of the most dramatic U.S. Open Championships in his latest book, The Greatest U.S. Opens, published this fall by Tatra Press. Considered the toughest test in golf, the U.S. Open has been the stage for some of the most memorable tournaments in the game. Barrett, who has covered numerous U.S. Opens and other major championships in his three-decade career as a golf writer, chose 20 of the best to create his book.
Among them are the Jack Nicklaus-Arnold Palmer duel of 1962, the upset victory by American Francis Ouimet in 1913, and Johnny Miller’s 63 on Oakmont in 1973, which may stand as the greatest round of tournament golf ever played. Barret tells the story behind some of the most memorable shots in the tournament, too, like Tom Watson’s chip-in on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach in 1982 and Payne Stewart’s putt at Pinehurst in 1999. Tiger Woods is in the story, too, of course, notably with his awe-inspiring 15-stroke victory in 2000 and his playoff victory—playing on a broken leg—in 2008.
Victory in the U.S. Open cements a golfer’s credentials as among the very best in the sport, and Barrett explores its impact on the careers of legends including Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, and Ben Hogan. He also tells the stories of great battles like Jack Fleck’s upset of Ben Hogan in a playoff at the Olympic Club in 1955 and Ray Floyd’s battle in the shootout at Shinnecock in 1986.
David Barrett has been a professional golf writer for over three decades, during which he was a senior editor at Golf Magazine. He has covered all the major golf championships, including more than 20 U.S. Opens. He has also authored seven previous books, including Miracle at Merion, winner of the United States Golf Association’s 2010 Herbert Warren Wind Award for the best golf book of the year, and The Story of the Masters, which was shortlisted for the same award in 2021.
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