US Open countdown: Julius Boros was no flop in ’52

52nd U.S. Open | June 12-14, 1952

Northwood Club, Dallas, Texas

Leaderboard

One of the best later-in-life golfers in history, Julius Boros won the first of his three major titles in the unbearable heat in Texas in 1952.

Once an accountant, he left his Connecticut firm at 29 to pursue golf. For the first three years as a professional, Boros won one minor tournament — the 1951 Massachusetts Open.

Shortly after that win, Boros’ first wife, Buttons, died during the birth of the couple’s first son, Jay.

He played the 1952 U.S. Open in her memory. Sitting in fourth place, and trailing Ben Hogan — the two-time defending national open champion — by four strokes, Boros felt so good about his game, he told his brother, Ernest, he was going to win.

The next day, he shot 2-under-par 68 in the third round to grab the lead for good, then put on a display of bunker play for the ages.

Boros is widely credited with becoming the first player to utilize the “flop” shot on a consistent basis. And he was good at getting out of tight spots. In the final round, he made putts of 20 and 30 feet to save par and keep the lead.

Hogan’s bid for a three-peat closed after he hit his tee ball out of bounds on the sixth hole of the final round, leading to a double bogey.

After the tournament, Hogan told Boros, “You’re a magician.”

It was Boros’ first PGA Tour victory. He won 17 more times on the tour and became the oldest winner of a major when he captured the 1968 PGA Championship at age 48.

todd.milles@thenewstribune.com

• All the latest news and what

to expect at the upcoming U.S. Open

at Chambers Bay at thenewstribune.com/chambers-bay

This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 6:36 PM with the headline "US Open countdown: Julius Boros was no flop in ’52."