1971 U.S. Open: Trevino Over Nicklaus
The 1971 U.S. Open was the 71st time the tournament was played. It ended in an 18-hole playoff between Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino.
Winner: Lee Trevino, 280
Where it was played: Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Tournament dates: June 17-21, 1971
Leader after first round: Labron Harris, 67
Leader after second round: Jim Colbert and Bob Erickson, 138
Leader after third round: Jim Simons, 207
Notable Notes: Amateur Jim Simons had the third-round lead and played well in Round 4, but the final round was about Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino. After Trevino got in the clubhouse at 280, Nicklaus had a lengthy birdie putt to win on the 72nd hole, but just missed. So the two greats played an 18-hole playoff the next day. Trevino led by one at the turn, then played the back nine in 32 to beat Nicklaus by three, 68-71.
Final Scores
| Lee Trevino | 70-72-69-69—280 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 69-72-68-71—280 |
| Bob Rosburg | 71-72-70-69—282 |
| Jim Colbert | 69-69-73-71—282 |
| George Archer | 71-70-70-72—283 |
| Johnny Miller | 70-73-70-70—283 |
| a-Jim Simons | 71-71-65-76—283 |
| Raymond Floyd | 71-75-67-71—284 |
| Gay Brewer | 70-70-73-72—285 |
| Larry Hinson | 71-71-70-73—285 |
| Bobby Nichols | 69-72-69-75—285 |
| Bert Yancey | 75-69-69-72—285 |
| Bobby Cole | 72-71-72-71—286 |
| Chi Chi Rodriguez | 70-71-73-72—286 |
| Jerry Heard | 73-71-73-69—286 |
| a-Lanny Wadkins | 68-75-75-68—286 |
| Bob Charles | 72-75-69-70—286 |
| Jerry McGee | 72-67-77-70—286 |
| Dave Eichelberger | 72-72-70-73—287 |
| Hale Irwin | 72-73-72-70—287 |
| Ken Still | 71-72-69-75—287 |
| Homero Blancas | 71-71-75-70—287 |
| Bob Goalby | 68-76-74-69—287 |
| Dick Lotz | 72-72-73-71—288 |
| Bob E. Smith | 71-74-71-72—288 |
| Arnold Palmer | 73-68-73-74—288 |
| Bob Lunn | 71-73-71-74—289 |
| Bobby Mitchell | 72-74-72-71—289 |
| Kermit Zarley | 74-70-72-73—289 |
| a-Ben Crenshaw | 74-74-68-73—289 |
| Ralph Johnston | 70-75-73-71—289 |
| John Schroeder | 73-72-69-75—289 |
| Don January | 75-73-71-70—289 |
| Orville Moody | 71-71-76-71—289 |
| Gary Player | 76-71-72-70—289 |
| Bruce Devlin | 72-69-71-77—289 |
| Gene Littler | 74-74-71-71—290 |
| John Lister | 73-75-72-70—290 |
| Lou Graham | 75-72-70-73—290 |
| Doug Sanders | 68-75-71-76—290 |
| Bob Erickson | 71-67-73-79—290 |
| Dale Douglass | 70-74-74-74—292 |
| Julius Boros | 74-71-73-74—292 |
| Mason Rudolph | 72-75-71-74—292 |
| John Schlee | 70-73-77-72—292 |
| Paul Harney | 73-74-72-74—293 |
| Labron Harris Jr. | 67-77-76-73—293 |
| Chuck Courtney | 74-73-77-69—293 |
| Bobby Greenwood | 73-74-73-74—294 |
| Bob Risch | 74-74-73-73—294 |
| Arthur Silverstrone | 74-70-76-74—294 |
| Don Bies | 71-74-72-77—294 |
| Bruce Crampton | 73-73-71-77—294 |
| Charles Sifford | 75-72-69-78—294 |
| a-Danny Yates | 72-75-76-72—295 |
| Bob Dickson | 73-74-76-72—295 |
| Al Geiberger | 71-71-75-78—295 |
| Deane Beman | 72-73-70-80—295 |
| Miller Barber | 73-73-72-78—296 |
| Roy Pace | 72-76-73-76—297 |
| Gene Borek | 75-71-75-76—297 |
| Ronnie Reif | 73-72-75-78—298 |
| Charles Coody | 70-76-75-79—300 |
| a-Jim Masserio | 71-75-77-79—302 |