Oakmont Country Club prepares to showcase its rich history ahead of U.S. Open

OAKMONT, Pa. — The U.S. Open is coming to the Oakmont Country Club this month. Channel 11’s Shelby Cassesse got a peek at the display that one local expert made showcasing the competition’s history.

No one knows Oakmont quite like Club Historian David Moore. From the iconic victories to its lesser-known legends like the counterfeited ticket scam at the 1935 U.S. Open.

“They had sold 1,500 tickets for Thursday and almost 5,000 people showed up,” Moore said.

Much has changed since paper tickets and a $2.20 entrance fee and Moore keeps a record of it.

A small portion of the club’s vast collection of artifacts is on display in the clubhouse and Moore spent the last six months getting “History Hall” ready.

“The best of the best win at Oakmont and we belive in doing the best we can to preserve those champions’ legacies,” Moore said.

Each U.S. Open at Oakmont gets its own case with its own flair; like a periscope that helped fans get a closer look when Ben Hogan won the 1963 U.S. Open or cigarette bytss from 2007 when Angel Cabrera famously chain-smoked his way to a championship.

“I always fight to have those Marlboro butts in there because, to me, it’s just so iconic to the story that he was just smoking cigarette after cigarette to, in reality, calm his nerves,” Moore said.

The memorabilia in the clubhouse is just the tip of the iceberg. Oakmont’s history lives in the club’s archives. It’s a fire and water-resistant space built just a couple of years ago after a fire destroyed a golf club in Detroit.

“Oakland Hills fire in 2022 changed absolutely everything for a club like us and clubs across the country. We wanted to make sure, going forward, that a club with our history, especially our national championship history, that everything was preserved and protected to the best of our abilities,” said Moore.

Come June, Moore will somehow make room for a new box as the club adds another chapter to its rich history.

“It’s really cool to see the past champions come back and enjoy the history and their stories here. And then hopefully add another name in June. And for many years to come - have them back and be appreciative that they’re a champion of Oakmont,” said Moore.

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