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The 5 toughest US Opens ever

FILE - In this June 16, 1974, file photo, Peter McGarey, 16, of Scottsdale, Ariz., reaches to offer congratulations to Hale Irwin after the latter's fairway shot on the 18th reached the green and prior to Irwin's winning the U.S. Open golf championship in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Irwin closed with a 73 to capture the first of his three U.S. Open. Irwin won at 7-over 287. There has not been a higher winning score in relation to par at any major since then. (AP Photo/File) FILE - In this June 16, 1974, file photo, Peter McGarey, 16, of Scottsdale, Ariz., reaches to offer congratulations to Hale Irwin after the latter's fairway shot on the 18th reached the green and prior to Irwin's winning the U.S. Open golf championship in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Irwin closed with a 73 to capture the first of his three U.S. Open. Irwin won at 7-over 287. There has not been a higher winning score in relation to par at any major since then. (AP Photo/File)

By Associated Press June 15, 2016 5 min read

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) – The U.S. Open is known as the toughest test in golf, and it usually lives up to its reputation.

Some years more than others.

Oakmont proved to be downright painful to Phil Mickelson. He injured his left wrist during long practice rounds chipping out of the rough. A lasting image of the U.S. Open is players in the rough with grass covering the tops of their shoes, and sometimes the cuffs on their pants. The rock-hard greens. The narrow fairways. Geoff Ogilvy once said the hardest part of the U.S. Open was going over par early in the round and wondering if you’ll ever get back to even.

An even tougher test is trying to narrow down the five toughest U.S. Opens held in its 121-year history.

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