The Union-Tribune's picks for the top-five greatest U.S. Opens of all time:

In 1913, Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old former caddie at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., scores the most improbable victory in U.S. Open history by beating English legends Harry Vardon and Ted Ray by five shots in an 18-hole playoff.

Sixteen months after a near-fatal car accident, Ben Hogan has to go 90 holes, including a playoff with Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio, to seize the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion – the second of the four Open championships he won in a six-year span.

In the victory that solidifies his standing as an American icon, Arnold Palmer overcomes the largest third-round deficit in U.S. Open history, seven shots, by shooting a final-round 65 at Cherry Hills to stave off rising amateur Jack Nicklaus and fading legend Ben Hogan.

Playing for the first time in 10 weeks after knee surgery and limping badly at times, Tiger Woods goes 91 holes at Torrey Pines to beat 45-year-old Rocco Mediate, who was trying to become the oldest champion. Woods wins his 14th major and third Open while scoring four double bogeys and three eagles. He has to birdie the 18th on Sunday and Monday to stay alive.

Payne Stewart's 15-foot par putt on the 72nd hole at Pinehurst in 1999 beats Phil Mickelson and gives him his second U.S. Open triumph four months before a fatal plane crash.

U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONS

2008 – Tiger Woods, Torrey Pines South, San Diego

2007 – Angel Cabrera, Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pa.

2006 – Geoff Ogilvy, Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

2005 – Michael Campbell, Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, N.C.

2004 – Retief Goosen, Shinnecock Hill Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y.

2003 – Jim Furyk, Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields, Ill.

2002 – Tiger Woods, Bethpage Black, Farmingdale, N.Y.

2001 – Retief Goosen, Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Okla.

2000 – Tiger Woods, Pebble Beach GL, Pebble Beach.

1999 – Payne Stewart, Pinehurst Resort and CC, Pinehurst, N.C. 1998 – Lee Janzen, The Olympic Club, San Francisco

1997 – Ernie Els, Congressional CC, Bethesda, Md.

1996 – Steve Jones, Oakland Hills CC, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

1995 – Corey Pavin, Shinnecock Hills GC, Southampton, N.Y.

1994 – Ernie Els, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pa.

1993 – Lee Janzen, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, N.J.

1992 – Tom Kite, Pebble Beach GL, Pebble Beach

1991 – Payne Stewart, Hazeltine National GC, Chaska, Minn.

1990 – Hale Irwin, Medinah CC, Medinah, Ill.

1989 – Curtis Strange, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, N.Y.

1988 – Curtis Strange, The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

1987 – Scott Simpson, The Olympic Club, San Francisco

1986 – Ray Floyd, Shinnecock Hills GC, Southampton, N.Y.

1985 – Andy North, Oakland Hills GC, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

1984 – Fuzzy Zoeller, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

1983 – Larry Nelson, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pa.

1982 – Tom Watson, Pebble Beach GL, Pebble Beach

1981 – David Graham, Merion GC, Ardmore, Pa.

1980 – Jack Nicklaus, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, N.J.

1979 – Hale Irwin, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio

1978 – Andy North, Cherry Hills CC, Englewood, Colo.

1977 – Hubert Green, Southern Hills CC, Tulsa, Okla.

1976 – Jerry Pate, Atlanta AC, Duluth, Ga.

1975 – Lou Graham, Medinah CC, Medinah, Ill.

1974 – Hale Irwin, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

1973 – Johnny Miller, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pa.

1972 – Jack Nicklaus, Pebble Beach GL, Pebble Beach

1971 – Lee Trevino, Merion GC, Ardmore, Pa.

1970 – Tony Jacklin, Hazeltine National GC, Chaska, Minn.

1969 – Orville Moody, Champion GC, Houston

1968 – Lee Trevino, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, N.Y.

1967 – Jack Nicklaus, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, N.J.

1966 – Billy Casper, The Olympic Club, San Francisco

1965 – Gary Player, Bellerive CC, St. Louis

1964 – Ken Venturi, Congressional CC, Bethesda, Md.

1963 – Julius Boros, The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

1962 – Jack Nicklaus, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pa.

1961 – Gene Littler, Oakland Hills CC, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

1960 – Arnold Palmer, Cherry Hills CC, Englewood, Colo.

1959 – Billy Casper, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

1958 – Tommy Bolt, Southern Hills CC, Tulsa, Okla.

1957 – Dick Mayer, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio

1956 – Cary Middlecoff, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, N.Y.

1955 – Jack Fleck, The Olympic Club, San Francisco

1954 – Ed Furgol, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, N.J.

1953 – Ben Hogan, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pa.

1952 – Julius Boros, Northwood Club, Dallas

1951 – Ben Hogan, Oakland Hills CC, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

1950 – Ben Hogan, Merion GC, Ardmore, Pa.

1949 – Cary Middlecoff, Medinah CC, Medinah, Ill.

1948 – Ben Hogan, Riviera CC, Los Angeles

1947 – Lew Worsham, St. Louis CC, Clayton, Mo.

1946 – Lloyd Mangrum, Canterbury GC, Cleveland

1942-1945 – No championship played

1941 – Craig Wood, Colonial CC, Fort Worth, Texas

1940 – Lawson Little, Canterbury GC, Cleveland

1939 – Byron Nelson, Philadelphia CC, West Conshohocken, Pa.

1938 – Ralph Guldahl, Cherry Hills Club, Englewood, Colo.

1937 – Ralph Guldahl, Oakland Hills CC, Birmingham, Mich.

1936 – Tony Manero, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, N.J.

1935 – Sam Parks Jr., Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pa.

1934 – Olin Dutra, Merion Cricket Club, Ardmore, Pa.

1933 – Johnny Goodman, North Shore GC, Glenview, Ill.

1932 – Gene Sarazen, Fresh Meadow CC, Flushing, N.Y.

1931 – Billy Burke, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio

1930 – Bobby Jones, Interlachen CC, Minneapolis, Minn.

1929 – Bobby Jones, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

1928 – Johnny Farrell, Olympic Field GC, Matteson, Ill.

1927 – Tommy Armour, Oakmont CC, Oakmont, Pa.

1926 – Bobby Jones, Scioto CC, Columbus, Ohio

1925 – Willie MacFarlane, Worcester CC, Worcester, Mass.

1924 – Cyril Walker, Oakland Hills CC, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

1923 – Bobby Jones, Inwood CC, Inwood, N.Y.

1922 – Gene Sarazen, Skokie GC, Glencoe, Ill.

1921 – James M. Barnes, Columbia CC, Chevy Chase, Md.

1920 – Edward Ray, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio

1919 – Walter Hagen, Brae Burn CC, West Newton, Mass.

1917-1918 – No championship played

1916 – Charles Evans Jr., Minikahda Club, Minneapolis, Minn.

1915 – Jerome Travers, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, N.J.

1914 – Walter Hagen, Midlothian CC, Blue Island, Ill.

1913 – Francis Ouimet, The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

1912 – John McDermott, CC of Buffalo, Buffalo, N.Y.

1911 – John McDermott, Chicago GC, Wheaton, Ill.

1910 – Alex Smith, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia

1909 – George Sargent, Englewood GC, Englewood, N.J.

1908 – Fred McLeod, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass.

1907 – Alex Ross, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia

1906 – Alex Smith, Onwentsia Club, Lake Forest, Ill.

1905 – Willie Anderson, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass.

1904 – Willie Anderson, Glen View Club, Golf, Ill.

1903 – Willie Anderson, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, N.J.

1902 – Laurie Auchterlonie, Garden City GC, Garden City, N.Y.

1901 – Willie Anderson, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass.

1900 – Harry Vardon, Chicago GC, Wheaton, Ill.

1899 – Willie Smith, Baltimore CC, Baltimore

1898 – Fred Herd, Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass.

1897 – Joe Lloyd, Chicago GC, Wheaton, Ill.

1896 – James Foulis, Shinnecock Hills GC, Southampton, N.Y.

1895 – Horace Rawlins, Newport GC, Newport, R.I.

U.S. OPEN PLAYOFF HISTORY

2008 – Tiger Woods (par) def. Rocco Mediate on the first hole of sudden-death playoff (Woods and Mediate were both tied at 71 through 18-hole playoff), Torrey Pines (South Course), San Diego.

2001 – Retief Goosen (70) def. Mark Brooks (72), Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Okla.

1994 – Ernie Els (par) def. Loren Roberts on the second hole of sudden-death playoff (Els and Roberts were both tied at 74 through 18-hole playoff; Colin Montgomerie was eliminated with a 78), Oakmont C.C., Oakmont, Pa.

1991 – Payne Stewart (75) def. Scott Simpson (77), Hazeltine National G.C., Chaska, Minn.

1990 – Hale Irwin (birdie) def. Mike Donald on first hole of sudden-death playoff (both tied at 74 through 18-hole playoff), Medinah C.C., Course No. 3, Medinah, Ill.

1988 – Curtis Strange (71) def. Nick Faldo (75), The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

1984 – Fuzzy Zoeller (67) def. Greg Norman (75), Winged Foot G.C., Mamaroneck, N.Y.

1975 – Lou Graham (71) def. John Mahaffey (73), Medinah G.C., Medinah, Ill.

1971 – Lee Trevino (68) def. Jack Nicklaus (71), Merion G.C., Ardmore, Pa.

1966 – Billy Casper (69) def. Arnold Palmer (73), Olympic Club, San Francisco

1965 – Gary Player (71) def. Kel Nagle (74), Bellerive C.C., St. Louis

1963 – Julius Boros (70) def. Jacky Cupit (73) and Arnold Palmer (76), The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

1962 – Jack Nicklaus (71) def. Arnold Palmer (74), Oakmont C.C., Oakmont, Pa.

1957 – Dick Mayer (72) def. Cary Middlecoff (79), Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio

1955 – Jack Fleck (69) def. Ben Hogan (72), Olympic Club, San Francisco

1950 – Ben Hogan (69) def. Lloyd Mangrum (73) and George Fazio (75), Merion G.C., Ardmore, Pa.

1947 – Lew Worsham (69) def. Sam Snead (70), St. Louis C.C., Clayton, Mo.

1946 – Lloyd Mangrum (72-72) def. Vic Ghezzi (72-73) and Byron Nelson (72-73), Canterbury G.C., Cleveland

1940 – Lawson Little (70) def. Gene Sarazen (73), Canterbury G.C., Cleveland

1939 – Byron Nelson (68-70) def. Craig Wood (68-73) and Denny Shute (76), Philadelphia C.C., Philadelphia

1931 – Billy Burke (149-148) def. George Von Elm (149-149), Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio

1929 – Bobby Jones (141) def. Al Espinosa (164), Winged Foot G.C., Mamaroneck, N.Y.

1928 – Johnny Farrell (143) def. Bobby Jones (144), Olympia Fields C.C., Matteson, Ill.

1927 – Tommy Armour (76) def. Harry Cooper (79), Oakmont C.C., Oakmont, Pa.

1925 – W. MacFarlane (147) def. Bobby Jones (148), Worcester C.C., Worcester, Mass.

1923 – Bobby Jones (76) def. Bobby Cruickshank (78), Inwood, C.C., Inwood, N.Y.

1919 – Walter Hagen (77) def. Mike Brady (78), Brae Burn C.C, West Newton, Mass.

1913 – Francis Ouimet (72) def. Harry Vardon (77) and Edward Ray (78), The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

1911 – John McDermott (80) def. Mike Brady (82) and George Simpson (85), Chicago G.C., Wheaton, Ill.

1910 – Alex Smith (71) def. John McDermott (75) and Macdonald Smith (77), Philadelphia Cricket Club, Chestnut Hill, Pa.

1908 – Fred McLeod (77) def. Willie Smith (83), Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass.

1903 – Willie Anderson (82) def. David Brown (84), Baltusrol G.C., Short Hills, N.J.

1901 – Willie Anderson (85) def. Alex Smith (86), Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass.