1966 U.S. Open: Casper's Comeback
Winner: Billy Casper, 278
Where it was played: Olympic Club in San Francisco, California
Tournament dates: June 16-20, 1966
Leader after first round: Al Mengert, 67
Leader after second round: Arnold Palmer and Billy Casper, 137
Leader after third round: Arnold Palmer, 207
Notable Notes: Arnold Palmer appeared to be cruising to victory. He took a 3-shot lead over Billy Casper into the final round, and after the front nine led Casper by seven. But then Casper staged one of the greatest comebacks ever, with help from a stumbling Palmer. Casper shot 32 on the back nine to Palmer's 39, tying at 278 and forcing an 18-hole playoff. In the playoff, Palmer again led (by two) at the turn, but Casper again turned it around, eventually winning with a 69 to Palmer's 72.
Final Scores
| Billy Casper | 69-68-73-68—278 |
| Arnold Palmer | 71-66-70-71—278 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 71-71-69-74—285 |
| Tony Lema | 71-74-70-71—286 |
| Dave Marr | 71-74-68-73—286 |
| Phil Rodgers | 70-70-73-74—287 |
| Bobby Nichols | 74-72-71-72—289 |
| Wes Ellis | 71-75-74-70—290 |
| a-Johnny Miller | 70-72-74-74—290 |
| Mason Rudolph | 74-72-71-73—290 |
| Doug Sanders | 70-75-74-71—290 |
| Ben Hogan | 72-73-76-70—291 |
| Rod Funseth | 75-75-69-73—292 |
| Rives McBee | 76-64-74-78—292 |
| a-Bob Murphy | 73-72-75-73—293 |
| Gary Player | 78-72-74-69—293 |
| George Archer | 74-72-76-72—294 |
| Frank Beard | 76-74-69-75—294 |
| Julius Boros | 74-69-77-74—294 |
| Don January | 73-73-75-73—294 |
| Ken Venturi | 73-77-71-73—294 |
| Walter Burkemo | 76-72-70-77—295 |
| Bob Goalby | 71-73-71-80—295 |
| Dave Hill | 72-71-79-73—295 |
| Bob Verwey | 72-73-75-75—295 |
| Miller Barber | 74-76-77-69—296 |
| Bruce Devlin | 74-75-71-76—296 |
| Al Mengert | 67-77-71-81—296 |
| Robert Shave Jr. | 76-71-74-75—296 |
| Tommy Aaron | 73-75-71-78—297 |
| a-Deane Beman | 75-76-70-76—297 |
| Al Geiberger | 75-75-74-73—297 |
| Vince Sullivan | 77-73-73-74—297 |
| Kel Nagle | 70-73-81-74—298 |
| Tom Veech | 72-73-77-76—298 |
| Gene Bone | 74-76-72-77—299 |
| Gay Brewer | 73-76-74-76—299 |
| Charles Harrison | 72-77-80-70—299 |
| Don Massengale | 68-79-78-74—299 |
| Billy Maxwell | 73-74-74-78—299 |
| Ken Still | 73-74-77-75—299 |
| a-Ed Tutwiler | 73-78-76-72—299 |
| Bob Wolfe | 77-72-76-74—299 |
| Chi Chi Rodriguez | 74-76-73-77—300 |
| George Knudson | 75-76-72-77—300 |
| Tom Nieporte | 71-77-74-78—300 |
| Bob Rosburg | 77-73-75-75—300 |
| George Bayer | 75-74-78-74—301 |
| Gardner Dickinson | 75-74-78-74—301 |
| Gene Littler | 68-83-72-78—301 |
| Steve Oppermann | 73-76-74-78—301 |
| Charles Coody | 76-75-76-75—302 |
| Tom Shaw | 75-74-73-80—302 |
| Gene Borek | 75-76-77-75—303 |
| Johnny Bulla | 73-76-77-77—303 |
| Lee Trevino | 74-73-78-78—303 |
| Bruce Crampton | 74-72-80-78—304 |
| Lee Elder | 74-77-74-79—304 |
| David Jimenez | 75-73-81-75—304 |
| Claude King | 74-77-77-76—304 |
| a-Hale Irwin | 75-75-78-77—305 |
| Stan Thirsk | 72-79-72-82—305 |
| Herb Hooper | 73-76-85-72—306 |
| Joe Zakarian | 77-74-79-80—310 |
