Horace Rawlins won the first-ever US Open Championship, winning the trophy way back in 1895. The US Open has gone on to become one of the biggest and most prestigious tournaments in the world of golf.
Big Tournament on the Horizon
The US Open will be the third major of the season, but next up will be the PGA Championship from New York. The world’s best golfers go head-to-head at Oak Hill Country Club, and Britain’s Rory McIlroy is among the favourites in the US PGA odds at 9/1. For those looking to place a golf bet on a British golfer outside of McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick is priced at 28/1 to win the title.
Jon Rahm is a man in red-hot form right now, and the Spaniard won the first major of the 2022-23 season. Rahm impressed in the Masters Tournament in Georgia, beating both Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson by 4 strokes to get his hands on the crown.
Practice almost done ✅
Ready to get going this week – vamos! pic.twitter.com/EMDIz6jbQ7— Jon Rahm Rodriguez (@JonRahmpga) April 5, 2023
The third major of the season will be the US Open in California in June. The fourth and final major tournament is The Open Championship, which will be held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Merseyside. Will we see a British winner on home soil?
Rawlins Makes History
Back in 1895, the US Open was just a regular, new tournament, played at a nine-hole course at the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island. The tournament has gathered pace throughout the years and has become a pinnacle event on the PGA Tour.
Some insight for the fans at LACC in June…
Where will the best viewing opportunity be? pic.twitter.com/OHVlJ6D9WW
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) May 2, 2023
The original US Open was a 36-hole competition played in just one day. Ten professionals and one amateur took to the field, with Isle of Wight-born Rawlins getting the better of the opposition. He received $150 out of $335 total prize money plus a $50 gold medal. Rawlins’ club was gifted the Open Championship Trophy, which the USGA presented.
Rawlins’ success was the start of British supremacy in the early years of the tournament. The Scots were particularly dominant, with James Foulis, Fred Herd, Willie Smith, Willie Anderson, Laurie Auchterlonie, Alex Smith, Alec Ross, and Fred McLeod all getting their hands on the trophy before the first American winner in 1911.
The roles have reversed in recent years, as there were six successive American winners from 2015 to 2020. However, the last two winners have hailed from Europe. Rahm won the 2021 version, and Sheffield-born ace Fitzpatrick brought the trophy back to England with his victory in 2022. Fitzpatrick became the first British winner since Justin Rose prevailed in 2013.
Rawlins will forever be remembered for his US Open success back in 1895. He was born on the Isle of Wight in Shanklin in 1874 and learned his trade at the now defunct Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club. He made the trip to the States to feature in the 1895 US Open and returned to England after his triumph. He was back in America a year later to defend his crown, but this time he finished second to Foulis.
Rawlins will always be a big part of US Open history and the tournament has gone from strength to strength ever since his success in the first tournament.
