1981 U.S. Open Winner and Scores

The 1981 U.S. Open was the 81st time the tournament was played. The winner earned his second career victory in a major. But he also established a first: first Australian golfer to win the U.S. Open.

Winner: David Graham, 273

Where it was played: Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tournament dates: June 18-21, 1981

Leader after first round: Jim Thorpe, 66

Leader after second round: George Burns, 135

Leader after third round: George Burns, 203

What Happened at the 1981 U.S. Open

David Graham birdied the 14th and 15th holes in the final round to take the lead away from third-round leader George Burns, and wound up winning by three over Burns and Bill Rogers. Graham's final round of 67 included only one missed fairway (on the first hole) and no missed greens. It was his second win in a major championship.

Graham was also the first Australian golfer to win a U.S. Open. Kel Nagle had finished runner-up in the 1965 U.S. Open, and Bruce Crampton was second in the 1972 U.S. Open. Graham finally went from Down Under to up top in the USGA's championship. Graham had previously won the 1979 PGA Championship, and it was the seventh of his eight career wins on the PGA Tour.

Burns had a 1-shot lead through the front nine of the final round, but a bogey on the 10th dropped him into a tie with Graham. Then Graham birdied the 14th to move in front for good.

The first-round leader was Jim Thorpe, who became the first African-American golfer to lead a U.S. Open since John Shippen shared the lead in 1896. Chi Chi Rodriguez finished tied for sixth, his best showing in any major and one of just four Top 10 finishes in majors for Rodriguez. Defending champ Jack Nicklaus was two off the lead after 36 holes, but fell five back after the third round and finished tied for sixth place.

1981 U.S. Open Final Scores

David Graham	68-68-70-67—273
Bill Rogers	70-68-69-69—276
George Burns	69-66-68-73—276
John Cook	68-70-71-70—279
John Schroeder	71-68-69-71—279
Lon Hinkle	69-71-70-70—280
Sammy Rachels	70-71-69-70—280
Jack Nicklaus	69-68-71-72—280
Frank Conner	71-72-69-68—280
Chi Chi Rodriguez	68-73-67-72—280
Isao Aoki	72-71-71-67—281
Jim Thorpe	66-73-70-72—281
Ben Crenshaw	70-75-64-72—281
Lanny Wadkins	71-68-72-71—282
Mark Hayes	71-70-72-69—282
Calvin Peete	73-72-67-70—282
Bruce Lietzke	70-71-71-71—283
Jack Renner	68-71-72-72—283
Curtis Strange	71-69-72-71—283
Mike Reid	71-72-69-72—284
Larry Nelson	70-73-69-72—284
Tom Kite	73-74-67-70—284
Johnny Miller	69-71-73-72—285
Tom Watson	70-69-73-73—285
Scott Simpson	72-67-71-75—285
Gary Player	72-72-71-71—286
Bruce Devlin	73-71-70-72—286
Jerry Pate	70-69-72-75—286
Rik Massengale	70-75-70-71—286
Craig Stadler	71-76-68-71—286
Tommy Valentine	69-68-72-77—286
Jim Colbert	71-69-77-69—286
Lee Elder	72-74-71-70—287
Billy Kratzert	69-69-73-76—287
Greg Norman	71-67-73-76—287
J.C. Snead	67-77-73-70—287
Peter Jacobsen	71-74-71-72—288
Forrest Fezler	70-72-71-75—288
Raymond Floyd	75-72-68-73—288
Hubert Green	69-76-71-72—288
Roger Maltbie	71-74-74-70—289
Seve Ballesteros	73-69-72-75—289
Andy North	73-74-72-71—290
Keith Fergus	74-71-73-72—290
Tim Simpson	70-75-74-71—290
D.A. Weibring	71-72-72-75—290
Leonard Thompson	75-71-74-70—290
Thomas Gray	75-72-73-70—290
Mike Peck	76-68-71-75—290
Bobby Wadkins	70-72-71-77—290
Mick Soli	77-69-72-72—290
Bob Ackerman	68-78-71-73—290
Steve Melnyk	70-75-73-73—291
Mark McNulty	72-69-75-75—291
Jim Nelford	74-73-69-75—291
Gary Hallberg	70-77-69-75—291
Bobby Nichols	71-71-78-71—291
Greg Powers	73-73-72-74—292
Ray Carrasco	74-71-73-74—292
Hale Irwin	72-75-73-72—292
Joe Hager	74-73-77-68—292
George Archer	76-69-70-77—292
Jim Simons	78-69-67-78—292
Charlie Gibson	75-72-71-75—293
Bill Pelham	73-73-73-75—294
Morris Hatalsky	71-76-72-75—294
a-Joey Rassett	70-70-78-76—294
Dave Barr	74-72-73-76—295
Mark Lye	70-72-76-78—296
Kip Byrne	74-72-79-75—300

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