Time for Europe’s best to put US Open hoodoo to a close

IT remains one of golf’s great mysteries, the failure of a whole host of great European golfers to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin at Hazeltine 38 years ago.

They have all tried … Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo, with five and six majors respectively on their CVs, Bernhard Langer and Jose-Maria Olazabal with their two Masters, Sandy Lyle, champion at Augusta and also at the Open Championship, Ian Woosnam, proud owner of a green jacket, Colin Montgomerie, eight times leader of the European Tour order of merit.

None has succeeded in what the Americans like to describe as the most demanding of all golfing tests. Monty got into a play-off at Oakmont in 1994 but lost to Ernie Els. Three years later, he faltered towards the finish at Congressional and the South African stepped in once more.