TOLEDO – The Inverness Club, in Toledo, has hosted four U.S. Opens (1920, 1931, 1957, 1979), two PGA Championships (1986, 1993), two U.S. Senior Opens (2003, 2011), plus a U.S. Amateur, U.S. Junior Amateur, and most recently the 2021 Solheim Cup.
The 1920 U.S. Open was significant, as it was the first time the young Bobby Jones played in the event, finishing tied for eighth. Ted Ray won that year’s U.S. Open with Harry Vardon finishing runner-up.
George Von Elm and Billy Burke were tied at the end of regulation in the 1931 U.S. Open. They were still tied after 36 holes and had to return the next day to play another 36-hole playoff, which Burke won by a single stroke. 72 holes of regulation, plus 72 holes in playoff meant that the duo had played 144 holes of golf over five days. It is the longest playoff in golf history.
A 17-year-old Jack Nicklaus played in his first U.S. Open in the 1957 tournament. He missed the cut, but the Golden Bear went on to win four U.S. Opens and 18 major championships. The defending U.S. Open champion, Carey Middlecoff lost an 18-hole playoff to Dick Mayer to grab the trophy.
In 1979, Hale Irwin defeated Jerry Pate and Gary Player to win his second of three U.S. Open titles.
Greg Norman does not have fond memories of the Inverness Club. In the 1986 PGA Championship, he held a four-stroke lead after 54 holes, but struggled on the final day and Bob Tway holed a miraculous bunker shot on the 72nd hole to edge out the Great White Shark.
The PGA Championship returned to Inverness in 1993, and Norman was tied with Paul Azinger after 72 holes of regulation play. Azinger won on the second playoff hole and Norman had once again come close, but failed to grab a major.
With this resume of great golf, the Inverness Club has longed for a return of a major championship. The Club was completely renovated in 2019 and continues to be considered one of the great old courses in the country.
The United State Golf Association (USGA) announced that Inverness will be the host for the 2045 U.S. Open. With the success of the Solheim Cup in 2021, Toledo and Inverness proved that they can host a big-time event. For Toledo, it will be a huge economic boost and showcase the city at its best.
Inverness has seen its share of historic events, and more history will be made when the U.S. Open returns to the historic club in 2045.
