| 1957 U.S. Open | |
Dick Mayer defeated defending champion Cary Middlecoff in an 18-hole playoff to win the 1957 U.S. Open, a playoff that is perhaps best remembered for a ... stool. Middlecoff was a painfully slow player, perhaps the slowest player in golf history, definitely the slowest great player in golf history.
Mayer knew he'd spend a lot of time in the playoff waiting. Just waiting. So he came prepared: He brought a fold-out camping stool with him, and whenever Middlecoff made him wait too long, Mayer simply took a seat.
Mayer had seven career wins and this was his only major, but 1957 was a great year for him. He made the Ryder Cup team, lead the tour in money and was named Player of the Year.
Jimmy Demaret, 47 years old, led Mayer by a stroke at the start of the final round, but Demaret started badly and wound up a stroke out of the playoff.
A 17-year-old amateur named Jack Nicklaus made his U.S. Open debut this year, shooting consecutive 80s and missing the cut. Amateur Billy Joe Patton was tied for the lead after 36 holes, but finished with back-to-back 76s. He still earned low amateur honors. Three-time major winner Denny Shute played in the U.S. Open for the final time this year, missing the cut.
1957 U.S. Open Golf Tournament Scores
Results from the 1957 U.S. Open golf tournament played at the par-70 Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio (x-won playoff; a-amateur):
| x-Dick Mayer | 70-68-74-70--282 | $7,200 |
| Cary Middlecoff | 71-75-68-68--282 | $4,200 |
| Jimmy Demaret | 68-73-70-72--283 | $2,160 |
| Julius Boros | 69-75-70-70--284 | $1,380 |
| Walter Burkemo | 74-73-72-65--284 | $1,380 |
| Fred Hawkins | 72-72-71-71--286 | $840 |
| Ken Venturi | 69-71-75-71--286 | $840 |
| Roberto De Vicenzo | 72-70-72-76--290 | $465 |
| Chick Harbert | 68-79-71-72--290 | $465 |
| Billy Maxwell | 70-76-72-72--290 | $465 |
| a-Billy Joe Patton | 70-68-76-76--290 | |
| Sam Snead | 74-74-69-73--290 | $465 |
| Mike Fetchick | 74-71-71-75--291 | $360 |
| Dow Finsterwald | 74-72-72-73--291 | $360 |
| a-William Hyndman | 77-73-72-69--291 | |
| Frank Stanahan | 72-76-69-74--291 | $360 |
| Don Fairfield | 78-72-73-69--292 | $315 |
| Jim Ferree | 74-74-73-71--292 | $315 |
| Doug Ford | 69-71-80-72--292 | $315 |
| Bud Ward | 70-74-70-78--292 | $315 |
| Bo Wininger | 70-71-76-76--293 | $300 |
| George Bayer | 73-77-69-75--294 | $260 |
| a-Joe Campbell | 74-72-73-75--294 | |
| Ed "Porky" Oliver | 74-73-73-74--294 | $260 |
| Peter Thomson | 71-72-74-77--294 | $260 |
| Jack Fleck | 72-76-73-74--295 | $240 |
| Gerald Kesselring | 74-71-75-75--295 | $240 |
| Sam Penecale | 71-73-73-78--295 | $240 |
| a-Harvie Ward | 72-75-74-74--295 | |
| Leo Biagetti | 73-75-72-76--296 | $240 |
| Johnny Revolta | 76-74-74-72--296 | $240 |
| a-Charles Kocsis | 76-74-74-73--297 | |
| Stan Leonard | 71-76-73-77--297 | $240 |
| Gene Littler | 73-76-73-75--297 | $240 |
| Jerry Barber | 75-73-73-77--298 | $240 |
| Otto Greiner | 76-74-75-73--298 | $240 |
| Fred Haas | 72-73-77-76--298 | $240 |
| Furman Hayes | 74-75-70-80--299 | $240 |
| Babe Lichardus | 72-76-74-77--299 | $240 |
| Lew Worsham | 78-72-76-73--299 | $240 |
| Johnny Pott | 74-75-74-77--300 | $240 |
| Donald Whitt | 71-77-78-75--301 | $240 |
| Al Brosch | 72-76-72-82--302 | $240 |
| Clarence Doser | 72-78-76-76--302 | $240 |
| Bob Gadja | 75-75-78-75--303 | $240 |
| Howie Johnson | 72-77-77-77--303 | $240 |
| Al Mengert | 77-73-71-82--303 | $240 |
| Leland Gibson | 75-75-76-78--304 | $240 |
| Stan Mosel | 74-75-77-78--304 | $240 |
| a-E. Fred Brown | 74-76-79-76--305 | |
| a-Rex Baxter | 77-73-80-78--308 | |
| a-Gene Coulter | 73-77-85-81--316 |
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