Oakland Hills Country Club has been awarded arguably\u00a0golf’s most prestigious tournament, the U.S. Open.
Detroit — The Monster has been awoken. And it couldn’t come at a better time. Oakland Hills Country Club has been awarded arguably golf’s most prestigious tournament, and certainly its toughest, the U.S. Open, for 2034 and 2051, the United States Golf Association announced Tuesday at a luncheon at the Detroit Athletic Club. Oakland Hills couldn’t host the luncheon following last month’s devastating fire that destroyed the Bloomfield Township club’s 90,000-square-foot, stately, pillared clubhouse. It’ll be at least a year before ground is broken on a new clubhouse, and three years before it’s finished, but in plenty of time to host the club’s seventh U.S. Open, but first since 1996. “From ashes will come triumph,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s chief championships officer. “We look forward to making more memories.” Bodehamer made Tuesday’s long-expected announcement, and was joined by Andy North, two-time U.S. Open champion who won one of those at Oakland Hills at 1985; Gil Hanse, the architect who oversaw the recent $12.1 million restoration of the famed South Course, renovations that put Oakland Hills back on the map as far as the USGA was concerned; and Rick Palmer, Oakland Hills club president. Oakland Hills hosted the 1924,1937,1951,1961,1985 and 1996 U.S. Opens. In the 2000s, it hosted two marquee events held by the USGA’s rival, the PGA of America, including the 2004 Ryder Cup and 2008 PGA Championship — during a period when there was a breakdown between Oakland Hills and the USGA, amid changing leadership and the changing landscape of the game. But the bond with the USGA is clearly back and stronger than ever. In January, Oakland Hills was awarded the U.S. Women’s Open for 2031 and 2042 — the strongest hint that this day was coming, as the USGA recently has been awarding historic clubs, “cathedrals of golf” as the USGA likes to stay, both the men’s and women’s U.S. Open. The USGA on Tuesday also awarded Oakland Hills four high-profile amateur tournaments — the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur,2029 U.S. Women’s Amateur,2038 U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur and 2047 U.S. Amateur, meaning from 2024 through 2051, Oakland Hills will host eight USGA championships. “Wow,” said Palmer, who’s had more bad days than good recently, after the fire ripped through Oakland Hills’ clubhouse the morning of Feb.17. “It really is a great day to end what has been an emotional month for us.” The journey to this point began about five years ago, when representatives from Oakland Hills attended the USGA’s annual meeting in San Antonio. Oakland Hills officials came armed with detailed plans for the club, and USGA officials took notice — and took them seriously. A big step toward landing another U.S. Open was updating the famed South Course, which, interestingly, meant going back in time.
