The 1952 U.S. Open was the 52nd U.S. Open, held June 12–14 at Northwood Club in Dallas, Texas. Julius Boros captured the first of his three major titles, four strokes ahead of runner-up Ed Oliver.

Two-time defending champion Ben Hogan, raised in nearby Fort Worth, attempted to become the second to win three consecutive U.S. Opens, and with two rounds of 69 he had the 36-hole lead, two strokes ahead of George Fazio. But consecutive rounds of 74 in the Saturday heat dropped Hogan back to third place, five strokes behind. Boros carded a third-round 68 to take a two-stroke lead, then shot a 71 for a 281 total and waited in the clubhouse to see if anyone would catch him, but none did. The closest was Oliver with a 72 to finish at 285, four behind Boros. Temperatures reached under sunny skies on Saturday, with a gallery estimated at 15,000.

Hogan was admittedly affected by the heat, and his final round included an out-of-bounds approach shot on the dogleg par-4 sixth hole and numerous three-putts. Boros successfully scrambled during both rounds on Saturday, chipping close and making lengthy putts. Hogan told Boros he was "a magician."

It was Boros' first win on the PGA Tour at the age of 32; just three years earlier he reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur. Boros won 17 more times as a professional, including a second U.S. Open in 1963. Five years later he won the PGA Championship in 1968 at age 48, the oldest ever to win a major championship until surpassed by Phil Mickelson in 2021.

Hogan regained the title in 1953 for four U.S. Open wins in five attempts (he won his first in 1948 and did not enter in 1949 due to a near-fatal automobile accident). Through 2015, Willie Anderson remains the only winner of three consecutive U.S. Opens, with titles in 1903, 1904, and 1905. The only repeat winners since 1951 are Curtis Strange in 1989 and Brooks Koepka in 2018.

The PGA Championship in 1952 was played the following week in Louisville, Kentucky. Boros was not eligible as he had been a pro less than five years, but received a special invitation from the PGA of America. He withdrew before his start time of the stroke-play qualifier on Wednesday after dissension from other players.

Boros' wife had died the previous September during the birth of their only child, son Jay.

Round summaries

First round Thursday, June 12, 1952 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Al Brosch 68 −2 2 Ben Hogan 69 −1 T3 Sam Snead 70 E Dick Metz Horton Smith T6 Charlie Bassler 71 +1 Julius Boros Clarence Doser Zell Eaton Charles Farlow George Fazio Dutch Harrison Ted Kroll Stanton Mosel Ed Oliver Harry Todd

Second round Friday, June 13, 1952 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Ben Hogan 69-69=138 −2 2 George Fazio 71-69=140 E3 Johnny Bulla 73-68=141 +14 Julius Boros 71-71=142 +2 T5 Ed Oliver 71-72=143 +3 Horton Smith 70-73=143 Lew Worsham 72-71=143T8 Clarence Doser 71-73=144 +4 Dick Metz 70-74=144 T10 Charles Scally 72-73=145 +5 Sam Snead 70-75=145 Bill Trombley 72-73=145 Source:

Third round Saturday, June 14, 1952 (morning) PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Julius Boros 71-71-68=210 E 2 Ben Hogan 69-69-74=212 +2 3 Ed Oliver 71-72-70=213 +3 4 Johnny Bulla 73-68-73=214 +45 George Fazio 71-69-75=215 +5T6 Clarence Doser 71-73-73=217 +7 Lew Worsham 72-71-74=217T8 Tommy Bolt 72-76-71=219 +9 Horton Smith 70-73-76=219 Bo Wininger 78-72-69=219

Final round Saturday, June 14, 1952 (afternoon) PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney ($)1 Julius Boros 71-71-68-71=281 +1 4,0002 Ed Oliver 71-72-70-72=285 +5 2,5003 Ben Hogan 69-69-74-74=286 +6 1,0004 Johnny Bulla 73-68-73-73=287 +7 8005 George Fazio 71-69-75-75=290 +10 6006 Dick Metz 70-74-76-71=291 +11 500T7 Tommy Bolt 72-76-71-73=292 +12 350 Ted Kroll 71-75-76-70=292 Lew Worsham 72-71-74-75=292T10 Lloyd Mangrum 75-74-72-72=293 +13 200 Sam Snead 70-75-76-72=293 Earl Stewart 76-75-70-72=293 Source:

References

External links USGA Championship Database USOpen.com – 1952 Course map – from Eugene Register-Guard