The US Open is one of the world's most prestigious tournaments, but it began life on the undercard while the amateur equivalent took all the attention on the main stage.

It was first held by the United States Golf Association in 1895 over four laps of the nine-hole Newport Golf and Country Club course on Rhode Island and was for years dominated by immigrant British professionals.

Horace Rawlins, a young Englishman, was the first winner and it was 1911 before an American-born golfer took the title in the shape of the 19-year-old John McDermott. Two years later the contest at last gripped the public's imagination.

That was because of the fairytale play-off victory of unknown 20-year-old amateur Francis Ouimet over two of the world's top pros, the Jersey-born duo Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. It is to this day regarded as a significant milestone for the US game.

Another upsurge in interest in the US Open was sparked in the 1920s thanks to the extraordinary exploits of the brilliant amateur Bobby Jones, who won four times, and it did not diminish once the leading professionals began to make the contest their preserve.

Ben Hogan was another to win four times, as was Jack Nicklaus, whose 1962 success was his first in any tournament as a professional and came in his rookie year.

Arnold Palmer, beaten in a play-off by Nicklaus, had lit up the event two years earlier when he came from a record seven off the pace in the final round to shoot 65 for a famous victory.

For much of the 20th century the US Open trophy seemed tied to American golfers by an umbilical chord, but overseas stars have won regularly recently. However, there has been no European victory since Tony Jacklin in 1970.