The US Open has been played almost every year since 1895, and the 117 US Open golf tournaments played have seen a variety of players win, young and old. Some have won in their 20s, some in their 30s, and the rare US Open champion has been in their 40s when they take the USGA's premier championship. However, perhaps the two greatest golfers ever to play the game hold the US Open records for being the youngest player to win and the oldest player to win.
John McDermott is the youngest player to win the US Open. He was an astounding 19 years, 10 months and 14 days old when he won the 1911 US Open at Chicago Golf Club in Illinois. McDermott finished tied for first after 72 holes at 3-over 307 with Mike Brady and George Simpson.
In the 18-hole playoff the next day, McDermott won by two shots with a playoff score of 80.
Amazingly, he won again the next year to be the youngest back-to-back US Open champion, too. Then he played in the US Open only two more times in his life, finishing eighth and T-9 in 1913 and '14, respectively.
Hale Irwin is the oldest player to win the US Open. In 1990, Hale Irwin, playing on a special exemption at Medinah No. 3, won an astounding third US Open title at the age of 45 years, 15 days in a playoff over Mike Donald.
The next-oldest US Open champion is Raymond Floyd, who loved Shinnecock Hills in 1986, and won at 43 years, 9 months, 11 days old.
