1966 U.S. Open: Casper's Comeback

The 1966 U.S. Open was the 66th time the tournament was played. Billy Casper won it in a playoff over Arnold Palmer.

Winner: Billy Casper, 278

Where it was played: Olympic Club in San Francisco, California

Tournament dates: June 16-20, 1966

Leader after first round: Al Mengert, 67

Leader after second round: Arnold Palmer and Billy Casper, 137

Leader after third round: Arnold Palmer, 207

Notable Notes: Arnold Palmer appeared to be cruising to victory. He took a 3-shot lead over Billy Casper into the final round, and after the front nine led Casper by seven. But then Casper staged one of the greatest comebacks ever, with help from a stumbling Palmer. Casper shot 32 on the back nine to Palmer's 39, tying at 278 and forcing an 18-hole playoff. In the playoff, Palmer again led (by two) at the turn, but Casper again turned it around, eventually winning with a 69 to Palmer's 72.

Final Scores

Billy Casper 69-68-73-68—278
Arnold Palmer 71-66-70-71—278
Jack Nicklaus 71-71-69-74—285
Tony Lema 71-74-70-71—286
Dave Marr 71-74-68-73—286
Phil Rodgers 70-70-73-74—287
Bobby Nichols 74-72-71-72—289
Wes Ellis 71-75-74-70—290
a-Johnny Miller 70-72-74-74—290
Mason Rudolph 74-72-71-73—290
Doug Sanders 70-75-74-71—290
Ben Hogan 72-73-76-70—291
Rod Funseth 75-75-69-73—292
Rives McBee 76-64-74-78—292
a-Bob Murphy 73-72-75-73—293
Gary Player 78-72-74-69—293
George Archer 74-72-76-72—294
Frank Beard 76-74-69-75—294
Julius Boros 74-69-77-74—294
Don January 73-73-75-73—294
Ken Venturi 73-77-71-73—294
Walter Burkemo 76-72-70-77—295
Bob Goalby 71-73-71-80—295
Dave Hill 72-71-79-73—295
Bob Verwey 72-73-75-75—295
Miller Barber 74-76-77-69—296
Bruce Devlin 74-75-71-76—296
Al Mengert 67-77-71-81—296
Robert Shave Jr. 76-71-74-75—296
Tommy Aaron 73-75-71-78—297
a-Deane Beman 75-76-70-76—297
Al Geiberger 75-75-74-73—297
Vince Sullivan 77-73-73-74—297
Kel Nagle 70-73-81-74—298
Tom Veech 72-73-77-76—298
Gene Bone 74-76-72-77—299
Gay Brewer 73-76-74-76—299
Charles Harrison 72-77-80-70—299
Don Massengale 68-79-78-74—299
Billy Maxwell 73-74-74-78—299
Ken Still 73-74-77-75—299
a-Ed Tutwiler 73-78-76-72—299
Bob Wolfe 77-72-76-74—299
Chi Chi Rodriguez 74-76-73-77—300
George Knudson 75-76-72-77—300
Tom Nieporte 71-77-74-78—300
Bob Rosburg 77-73-75-75—300
George Bayer 75-74-78-74—301
Gardner Dickinson 75-74-78-74—301
Gene Littler 68-83-72-78—301
Steve Oppermann 73-76-74-78—301
Charles Coody 76-75-76-75—302
Tom Shaw 75-74-73-80—302
Gene Borek 75-76-77-75—303
Johnny Bulla 73-76-77-77—303
Lee Trevino 74-73-78-78—303
Bruce Crampton 74-72-80-78—304
Lee Elder 74-77-74-79—304
David Jimenez 75-73-81-75—304
Claude King 74-77-77-76—304
a-Hale Irwin 75-75-78-77—305
Stan Thirsk 72-79-72-82—305
Herb Hooper 73-76-85-72—306
Joe Zakarian 77-74-79-80—310

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