In fact, Nicklaus took the lead about midway through the final round. Hogan, playing with Nicklaus, said afterward that Nicklaus should have won. But the Golden Bear was still just a cub, and he 3-putted the 13th and 14th holes. Nicklaus wound up second, the best finish by an amateur since Johnny Goodman won the 1933 U.S. Open. Nicklaus' 282 total remains the best score ever shot by an amateur in a U.S. Open.

Hogan kept himself in the mix most of the final round. He hit every green through the 16th hole (in total, over the final two rounds, Hogan hit 34 consecutive greens), but just couldn't make any putts. Then he found water on the last two holes, and fell back to a tie for ninth. Hogan could have tied Palmer at 280 with pars on the 71st and 72nd holes, but played them in 4-over.

But the story of the day was Palmer. Souchak struggled to a 75 and wound up tied for third, but Palmer immediately charged, driving the 346-yard first hole and making birdie. Birdies followed on the second, third and fourth holes, and more later as Palmer fashioned a front-nine 30.

Unlike Hogan, Palmer didn't make a mess of the final two holes, parring both to record a 65 and post 280. Starting the last round seven strokes behind, Palmer wound up winning by two over Nicklaus.

Palmer's feat remains the best final-round comeback by a winner in tournament history.

On the day of Palmer's charge, an article carrying Palmer's byline appeared in The Saturday Evening Post. The article was titled "I Want That Grand Slam," and in it Palmer said that the modern Grand Slam should be considered The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship (as opposed to the U.S. and British opens and amateurs - the Grand Slam that Bobby Jones accomplished in 1930).

The article - and that sentiment about the makeup of the Grand Slam - really marks the beginning of the contemporary era of golf, in which those four professional tournaments are the majors, the ones that the great golfers build their seasons and careers around.

Palmer got it started, and after his charge in the final round of the 1960 U.S. Open, Palmer - who two months earlier won the 1960 Masters - had the first two legs of the modern Grand Slam. Alas, his quest ended a month later at the British Open when Palmer lost to Kel Nagle by one stroke.

His victory in the 1960 U.S. Open wound up being Palmer's only win in this tournament, although he came close many more times. After this, Palmer recorded four second-place finishes in the tournament, including three losses in U.S. Open playoffs.