Merion Golf Club: past US Open champions

Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania, the site of this year's US Open, has hosted more USGA tournaments than any other venue.

Perhaps its most famous champion is Ben Hogan, whose triumph in the 1950 US Open came mere months after he nearly died in a car crash.

With his legs bandaged and struggling to walk, Hogan dispatched a 1-iron to the heart of the final green to set up a playoff he would win to capture his fourth major title.

The iconic photo of him hitting his shot to the 72nd hole has endured throughout the years and is a symbol of the type of player who fares well around Merion.

Bobby Jones won two US Amateur championships there in 1924 and 1930, and Italian Edoardo Molinari announced himself on the world scene with his win in the same event in 2005. Lee Trevino, regarded as one of the game's greatest shotmakers, claimed the 1971 US Open at Merion, defeating Jack Nicklaus in a playoff. He also captured the Triple Crown that year with wins at the Open and Canadian Open.

Perhaps less well known is 1981 US Open winner David Graham, who overcame a three-shot deficit after 54 holes with a storming 67 in the final round.

In more recent years Merion has hosted the Walker Cup, the biennial match between America's and Great Britain and Ireland's top amateurs.

The 2009 American squad, who beat GB&I 16.5 to 9.5, featured Rickie Fowler, Bud Cauley, Cameron Tringale and Peter Uihlein.

Tiger Woods recently stated that past Merion winners are all shotmakers, so expect more to be near the top of the leaderboard this year.