1948 U.S. Open Winner and Scores
The 1948 U.S. Open was the 48th time the tournament was played. One of golf's all-time greats won the first of his four U.S. Open titles, and did so by demolishing the existing scoring record.
Winner: Ben Hogan, 276
Where it was played: Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California
Tournament dates: June 10-12, 1948
Leader after first round: Ben Hogan and Lew Worsham, 67
Leader after second round: Sam Snead, 138
Leader after third round: Ben Hogan, 207
What Happened at the 1948 U.S. Open
One of the places in golf nicknamed "Hogan's Alley" is Riviera Country Club, and that monicker became popular after Ben Hogan's victory at Riviera in the 1948 U.S. Open. Hogan won the 1947 Los Angeles Open at Riviera, and then he won the same tournament in 1948. Shortly after, Hogan won the U.S. Open at Riviera — three wins in two years on the famous golf course. No wonder people started calling it Hogan's Alley.Hogan's victory here was the first of his four U.S. Open titles, and it was his third win in a major championship. He entered the final round leading his good friend Jimmy Demaret by two strokes. After both shot closing 69s, two strokes remained the final margin between them.
Hogan became the first golfer in U.S. Open history to post three rounds in the 60s, and his score of 276 was a new tournament record by five strokes. Ralph Guldahl had posted 281 in winning the 1937 U.S. Open, and Hogan's record didn't fall until Jack Nicklaus bettered it in 1967.
The tournament finish actually involved multiple golfers breaking the scoring record, but only holding it for a very short time. Third-place finisher Jim Turnesa set a new tournament scoring record when he posted 280. About an hour later, Demaret finished and lowered the record to 278. Then Hogan finished, claiming the win and the scoring record.
The 1948 U.S. Open was also significant for the participation of Ted Rhodes. Rhodes was African-American, and his entry to this tournament was accepted by the USGA at a time when the PGA of America did not allow Blacks to become members or play in its tournaments. Rhodes was the dominant player in the United Golf Association circuit, a low-paying tour for Black golfers. He opened the 1948 U.S. Open with a 70, in contention, but faded over the next three rounds. Rhodes wasn't the first African-American to play a U.S. Open, but he was the first since 1913.
Future PGA Championship winner (and television broadcaster) Bob Rosburg played the U.S. Open for the first time this year, missing the cut. Olin Dutra, winner of the 1934 U.S. Open, missed the cut in his final appearance in this tournament. Joe Kirkwood Sr. and Joe Kirkwood Jr. both made the cut, the first time a father and son both the made the cut in the same U.S. Open.
Hogan missed the 1949 U.S. Open due to his auto accident, but then won again in 1950 and 1951 — three wins in a row in tournaments he was able to enter. Hogan added a fourth U.S. Open win in 1953.
1948 U.S. Open Final Scores
| Ben Hogan | 67-72-68-69—276 |
| Jimmy Demaret | 71-70-68-69—278 |
| Jim Turnesa | 71-69-70-70—280 |
| Bobby Locke | 70-69-73-70—282 |
| Sam Snead | 69-69-73-72—283 |
| Lew Worsham | 67-74-71-73—285 |
| Herman Barron | 73-70-71-72—286 |
| Johnny Bulla | 73-72-75-67—287 |
| Toney Penna | 70-72-73-72—287 |
| Smiley Quick | 73-71-69-74—287 |
| Skip Alexander | 71-73-71-73—288 |
| Charles Congdon | 71-70-71-77—289 |
| Harold "Jug" McSpaden | 74-69-69-77—289 |
| Vic Ghezzi | 72-74-74-70—290 |
| Leland Gibson | 71-76-69-74—290 |
| Otto Greiner | 74-73-71-72—290 |
| Herman Keiser | 71-71-73-75—290 |
| George Schnieter | 73-68-75-74—290 |
| Herschel Spears | 72-71-76-71—290 |
| Ellsworth Vines | 75-72-69-74—290 |
| Joe Kirkwood | 72-70-72-77—291 |
| Lloyd Mangrum | 71-72-74-74—291 |
| Cary Middlecoff | 74-71-73-73—291 |
| Alfred Smith | 73-72-77-69—291 |
| Art Bell | 72-75-71-74—292 |
| Pete Cooper | 76-72-72-72—292 |
| George Fazio | 72-72-76-72—292 |
| Marty Furgol | 72-74-73-74—293 |
| Chick Harbert | 72-72-77-72—293 |
| Joe Kirkwood Jr. | 73-75-73-72—293 |
| Frank Moore | 73-75-73-72—293 |
| a-Zell Eaton | 72-74-75-73—294 |
| Ralph Guldahl | 73-75-75-71—294 |
| a-Ken Rogers | 69-76-72-78—295 |
| Jack Harden | 72-73-73-78—296 |
| Dutch Harrison | 75-72-72-77—296 |
| Jimmy Hines | 75-71-76-74—296 |
| Bill Nary | 73-75-75-73—296 |
| Johnny Palmer | 74-74-76-72—296 |
| Jack Ryan | 74-69-76-77—296 |
| a-John Dawson | 71-72-79-76—298 |
| a-Dick Mayer | 75-73-78-72—298 |
| George Schoux | 74-72-76-76—298 |
| a-Frank Stranahan | 72-69-78-79—298 |
| Dave Douglas | 74-73-78-74—299 |
| Ed Furgol | 75-73-77-74—299 |
| Jimmy Johnson | 76-71-77-75—299 |
| Jimmy Thomson | 77-71-76-76—300 |
| Al Zimmerman | 71-74-77-78—300 |
| Buck White | 75-73-80-73—301 |
| Iverson Martin | 73-73-80-76—302 |
| Ted Rhodes | 70-76-77-79—302 |
| Paul Runyan | 74-73-80-76—303 |
| Andrew Mills | 71-75-83-84—313 |
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