Jack Nicklaus

In 1960, Jack Nicklaus played in the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills (Colo.) Country Club as an amateur and found remarkable success, finishing second. Thirty-three years later, the Ohioan topped that, taking the 1993 U.S. Senior Open by a stroke over old rival Tom Weiskopf, of Paradise Valley, Ariz.

The telling difference was the closing hole -- the 18th, a 450-yarder that the members play as a par 5 but one they played as a par 4 for this championship. On both Saturday and Sunday, Nicklaus had no difficulty with it.

On Saturday, he had just birdied 16 and 17 before putting a 3-iron approach shot to within 3 feet of the hole on 18. On Sunday, with thunder rumbling in the distance, Nicklaus beat the downpour and the pressure. Nursing a one-stroke advantage, he again hit the green and two-putted from 25 feet from a breaking sidehill lie.

During the final day Nicklaus encountered severe challenges. Weiskopf completed the first nine with a Senior Open record of 30, and actually held the lead heading into his second nine. Also challenging was Chi Chi Rodriguez, of Naples, Fla., until his putter failed to cooperate down the stretch. Nicklaus' victory was his second in three years of eligibility. He also won in 1991, at Oakland Hills (Mich.).