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U.S. Senior Open

One of the five major championships in senior golf


One of the five major championships in senior golf

FieldValue
nameU.S. Senior Open
imageThe logo of the 2025 U.S. Senior Open.jpeg
image_size250
locationColorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
establishment1980
courseBroadmoor Golf Club
par70
yardage7247 yd
orgUSGA
tourPGA Tour Champions
European Senior Tour
formatStroke play
purse
month_playedJune
aggregate261 Steve Stricker (2019)
to-par−20 Fred Funk (2009)
current_championIRL Pádraig Harrington
mapUSA#USA Colorado
map_labelBroadmoor GC
map_captionLocation in the United States##Location in Colorado
map_reliefyes
map_size200
coordinates

European Senior Tour | to-par = −20 Fred Funk (2009) The U.S. Senior Open is one of the five major championships in senior golf, introduced in 1980. It is administered by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and is recognized as a major championship by both the PGA Tour Champions and the European Senior Tour. The lower age limit was 55 in 1980, but it was lowered to 50 for the second edition in 1981, which is the standard limit for men's senior professional golf tournaments. By definition, the event is open to amateurs, but has been dominated by professionals; through 2022, all editions have been won by pros. Like other USGA championships, it has been played on many courses throughout the United States.

Bernhard Langer became the oldest U.S. Senior Open Champion in 2023, winning at the age of 65 years 10 months.

The total purse was the highest of any senior tour event until the Posco E&C Songdo Championship in South Korea, a Champions Tour event in 2010 and 2011 with a $3 million purse, but had a lower winner's share ($450,000). The U.S. Senior Open is again the highest purse on the PGA Tour Champions; in 2016 it was $3.75 million, and champion Gene Sauers earned $675,000. The purse in 2017 is anticipated to be $4 million, yielding a winner's share of $720,000.

Like other senior majors, players must walk the course unless they receive a medical exemption to use a cart. Winners gain entry into the following year's U.S. Open.

The playoff format was modified for 2018, reduced from three to two aggregate holes, followed by sudden death. The three-hole aggregate playoff was used in 2002 and 2014; the final 18-hole playoff at the U.S. Senior Open was in 1991, won by Jack Nicklaus.

Eligibility

The following players are exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open, provided they are 50 years old as of the opening day of the tournament. Amateur categories require that the player is still an amateur on the opening day of the tournament, except for the one-time exemption for former champions of the U.S. Amateur or The Amateur Championship.

  • Any past winner of the U.S. Senior Open
  • Winners of any of the major championships in the last 10 years
  • Winners of any of the U.S. Amateur in the last 10 years and runner-up in previous year
  • Winners of the Senior PGA Championship in the last 10 years
  • Winner of the Senior Open Championship in the last five years
  • Top 15 finishers from the previous year's U.S. Senior Open
  • Any amateur completing 72 holes in last U.S. Open
  • Low amateur in last U.S. Senior Open
  • Winner and runner-up of the U.S. Senior Amateur in the previous year
  • Members of the Walker Cup and Eisenhower Trophy teams for the last two competitions
  • Members of both Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams for the last five competitions
  • Top 30 from the previous year's PGA Tour Champions money list, top 20 from current list
  • Top 50 leaders from the PGA Tour Champions career money list
  • Winners of PGA Tour Champions events in the previous three years
  • Top six from previous year's European Senior Tour money list
  • Top two from previous year's Japan Seniors Tour money list
  • Winners of PGA Tour events in the previous five years
  • Winners of the U.S. Open in first ten years of age eligibility
  • One-time exemption for any winner of a major championship, U.S. Amateur, or British Amateur.
    • Winners of amateur championships who have since turned professional are able to use this exemption.

Special exemptions are given occasionally, and like other USGA events, many qualify through the local and sectional ranks.

Winners

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victoryRunner(s)-upPurse
($)Winner's
share ($)VenueLocation
2025IRL Pádraig Harrington (2)269−111 strokeUSA Stewart Cink4,000,000800,000Broadmoor (East Course)Colorado Springs, Colorado
2024ENG Richard Bland267−13PlayoffJPN Hiroyuki Fujita4,000,000720,000NewportNewport, Rhode Island
2023DEU Bernhard Langer (2)277−72 strokesUSA Steve Stricker4,000,000720,000SentryWorldStevens Point, Wisconsin
2022IRL Pádraig Harrington274−101 strokeUSA Steve Stricker4,000,000720,000Saucon Valley
(Old Course)Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
2021USA Jim Furyk273−73 strokesZAF Retief Goosen
CAN Mike Weir4,000,000720,000OmahaOmaha, Nebraska
2020Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019USA Steve Stricker261−196 strokesUSA Jerry Kelly
USA David Toms4,000,000720,000Warren Golf Course
U of Notre DameSouth Bend, Indiana
2018USA David Toms277−31 strokeESP Miguel Ángel Jiménez
USA Jerry Kelly
USA Tim Petrovic4,000,000720,000Broadmoor (East Course)Colorado Springs, Colorado
2017USA Kenny Perry (2)264−162 strokesUSA Kirk Triplett4,000,000720,000SalemPeabody, Massachusetts
2016USA Gene Sauers277−31 strokeESP Miguel Ángel Jiménez
USA Billy Mayfair3,750,000675,000SciotoUpper Arlington, Ohio
2015USA Jeff Maggert270−102 strokesSCO Colin Montgomerie3,750,000675,000Del PasoSacramento, California
2014SCO Colin Montgomerie279−5PlayoffUSA Gene Sauers3,500,000630,000Oak Tree NationalEdmond, Oklahoma
2013USA Kenny Perry267−135 strokesUSA Fred Funk2,750,000500,000OmahaOmaha, Nebraska
2012ENG Roger Chapman270−102 strokesUSA Fred Funk
DEU Bernhard Langer
USA Tom Lehman
USA Corey Pavin2,750,000500,000IndianwoodLake Orion, Michigan
2011USA Olin Browne269−153 strokesUSA Mark O'Meara2,750,000500,000Inverness ClubToledo, Ohio
2010GER Bernhard Langer272−83 strokesUSA Fred Couples2,600,000470,000SahaleeSammamish, Washington
2009USA Fred Funk268−206 strokesUSA Joey Sindelar2,600,000470,000Crooked StickCarmel, Indiana
2008ARG Eduardo Romero274−64 strokesUSA Fred Funk2,600,000470,000Broadmoor (East Course)Colorado Springs, Colorado
2007USA Brad Bryant282−63 strokesUSA Ben Crenshaw2,600,000470,000Whistling Straits
(Straits Course)Haven, Wisconsin
2006USA Allen Doyle (2)272−82 strokesUSA Tom Watson2,600,000470,000Prairie DunesHutchinson, Kansas
2005USA Allen Doyle274−101 strokeUSA Loren Roberts
USA D. A. Weibring2,600,000470,000NCR
(South Course)Kettering, Ohio
2004USA Peter Jacobsen272−121 strokeUSA Hale Irwin2,600,000470,000BelleriveSt. Louis, Missouri
2003USA Bruce Lietzke277−72 strokesUSA Tom Watson2,600,000470,000Inverness ClubToledo, Ohio
2002USA Don Pooley274−10PlayoffUSA Tom Watson2,500,000450,000Caves ValleyOwings Mills, Maryland
2001USA Bruce Fleisher280E1 strokeJPN Isao Aoki
USA Gil Morgan2,400,000430,000SalemPeabody, Massachusetts
2000USA Hale Irwin (2)267−173 strokesUSA Bruce Fleisher2,250,000400,000Saucon Valley
(Old Course)Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
1999USA Dave Eichelberger281−73 strokesUSA Ed Dougherty1,750,000315,000Des MoinesWest Des Moines, Iowa
1998USA Hale Irwin285+11 strokeARG Vicente Fernández1,500,000267,500RivieraPacific Palisades, California
1997AUS Graham Marsh280E1 strokeZAF John Bland1,300,000232,500Olympia Fields
(North Course)Olympia Fields, Illinois
1996USA Dave Stockton277−112 strokesUSA Hale Irwin1,200,000212,500CanterburyBeachwood, Ohio
1995USA Tom Weiskopf275−134 strokesUSA Jack Nicklaus1,000,000175,000Congressional
(Blue Course)Bethesda, Maryland
1994ZAF Simon Hobday274−101 strokeUSA Jim Albus
AUS Graham Marsh800,000145,000Pinehurst Resort
(No. 2 Course)Pinehurst, North Carolina
1993USA Jack Nicklaus (2)278−61 strokeUSA Tom Weiskopf700,000135,330Cherry HillsCherry Hills Village, Colorado
1992USA Larry Laoretti275−94 strokesUSA Jim Colbert700,000130,000Saucon Valley
(Old Course)Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
1991USA Jack Nicklaus282+2PlayoffUSA Chi-Chi Rodríguez600,000110,000Oakland Hills
(South Course)Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan
1990USA Lee Trevino275−132 strokesUSA Jack Nicklaus500,00090,000RidgewoodParamus, New Jersey
1989USA Orville Moody279−92 strokesUSA Frank Beard450,00080,000Laurel ValleyLigonier, Pennsylvania
1988ZAF Gary Player (2)288EPlayoffNZL Bob Charles400,00065,000Medinah
(Course No. 3)Medinah, Illinois
1987ZAF Gary Player270−146 strokesUSA Doug Sanders300,00047,000BrooklawnFairfield, Connecticut
1986USA Dale Douglass279−51 strokeZAF Gary Player275,00042,500SciotoColumbus, Ohio
1985USA Miller Barber (3)285−34 strokesARG Roberto De Vicenzo225,00040,199Edgewood TahoeStateline, Nevada
1984USA Miller Barber (2)286+62 strokesUSA Arnold Palmer200,00036,448Oak Hill
(East Course)Pittsford, New York
1983USA Billy Casper288+4PlayoffUSA Rod Funseth175,00030,566Hazeltine NationalChaska, Minnesota
1982USA Miller Barber282−24 strokesUSA Gene Littler
USA Dan Sikes150,00028,648PortlandPortland, Oregon
1981USA Arnold Palmer289+9PlayoffUSA Billy Casper
USA Bob Stone149,00026,000Oakland Hills
(South Course)Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan
1980ARG Roberto De Vicenzo285+14 strokesUSA William C. Campbell (a)100,00020,000Winged Foot
(East Course)Mamaroneck, New York

Multiple winners

Seven men have multiple victories in the U.S. Senior Open:

3 wins

  • Miller Barber (1982, 1984, 1985) 2 wins
  • Gary Player (1987, 1988)
  • Jack Nicklaus (1991, 1993)
  • Hale Irwin (1998, 2000)
  • Allen Doyle (2005, 2006)
  • Kenny Perry (2013, 2017)
  • Bernhard Langer (2010, 2023)
  • Pádraig Harrington (2022, 2025)

Successful defenders of the title were Barber (1985), Player (1988), and Doyle (2006).

Winners of both U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open

The following men have won both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Senior Open, the majors run by the USGA:

PlayerU.S. OpenU.S. Senior Open
Arnold Palmer19601981
Billy Casper1959, 19661983
Gary Player19651987, 1988
Orville Moody19691989
Lee Trevino1968, 19711990
Jack Nicklaus1962, 1967, 1972, 19801991, 1993
Hale Irwin1974, 1979, 19901998, 2000
Jim Furyk20032021

Palmer (1954) and Nicklaus (1959, 1961) also won the U.S. Amateur, previously considered a major.

Future sites

YearEditionVenueLocationDatesPrevious championships hosted
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2037
2038
2042

Source:

References

References

  1. (June 30, 1980). "De Vicenzo cops Senior Open". Wilmington Morning Star.
  2. (July 8, 1981). "Seniors tee it up in the US Senior Open". Nashua Telegraph.
  3. (July 2, 2023). "65-year-old Bernhard Langer wins the US Senior Open to break the Champions' victory record". Washington Post.
  4. (February 26, 2018). "U.S. Open abandons 18 holes for 2-hole playoff". ESPN.
  5. (July 30, 1991). "Nicklaus' 65 beats Rodriguez". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  6. "2014 U.S. Senior Open Entry Form". USGA.
  7. Barrett, Scott. (April 6, 2020). "U.S. Senior Open at Newport County Club canceled". The Newport Daily News.
  8. Altstadter, Jeff. (April 6, 2020). "2020 U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Senior Women's Open Canceled". USGA.
  9. "U.S. Senior Open: Future Sites".
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