Winged Foot is on the clock.
The USGA announced Monday the landmark Mamaroneck golf club has been selected to host the 128th U.S. Open championship in 2028, which leaves the membership roughly five years to watch the grass grow on the famed West Course.
“Winged Foot has provided the backdrop for some of the most dramatic moments in the history of our sport, with many of golf’s legendary champions being crowned on the club’s iconic West Course,” USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer said in a statement. “We strive to provide players with the greatest stages on which to compete for a national championship, and there are few stages as grand as Winged Foot.”
2020 U.S. Open:Bryson DeChambeau vindicated after dominant finish at Winged Foot
Steeped in history:Winged Foot is a monument to golf, curated by lovers of the game
The West Course, designed by A.W. Tillinghast, has been the site of six previous U.S. Opens.
Bob Jones (1929), Billy Casper (1959), Hale Irwin (1974), Fuzzy Zoeller (1984), Geoff Ogilvy (2006) and Bryson DeChambeau (2020) are the past champions.
In anticipation of the last U.S. Open visit, Gil Hanse renovated the West Course in 2018. The USGA moved that championship to September 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today is an incredible moment for all of us here at Winged Foot,” club president Rob Williams said. “Our club has a long history of hosting this nation’s greatest men’s and women’s championships and we look forward to helping write another chapter in the story of our great sport in 2028.”
Between the West and East Courses, the club has provided a worthy venue for eight other USGA championships – two U.S. Amateurs, two U.S. Women’s Opens, one U.S. Senior Open, one U.S. Amateur Four-Ball and one Walker Cup.
Davis Love III also won the 1997 PGA Championship at the club.
U.S. Open 2020 at Winged Foot
A muscled-up DeChambeau bombed and gouged his way to the championship in 2020. He was the lone competitor to finish under par, averaging 325 yards off the tee and hitting just 23 fairways. It was an unorthodox approach that inspired conversation and consternation. DeChambeau shot a final-round 67 to finish with a 6-under total of 274.
The lush ankle-deep rough was little more than an inconvenience for the STEM enthusiast, who is now a part of LIV Golf.
“As difficult as this golf course was presented, I played it beautifully,” he said before celebrating with slices from nearby Sal’s pizza. “So many times I relied on science, and it’s worked every single time.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, spectators were not allowed in 2020. The crowd noise came from the 400-plus members who filled volunteer positions and neighbors who erected makeshift grandstands in their yards. Everyone on site had to be tested in advance. There were also daily health and security screenings for the 2,000 or so essential workers on the grounds.
Next five U.S. Open sites
The Los Angeles Country Club will host the U.S. Open in June. The championship will be contested at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024, Oakmont Country Club in 2025, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in 2026 and Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2027.
Mike Dougherty covers golf for the Journal News and lohud.com. He can be reach at [email protected] or via Twitter @lohudgolf.
