Walter Hagen, the winner of the British Open three weeks earlier, opened with 68 to take a three-shot lead over Black on Friday morning. In the second round that afternoon, Black shot a 71 to take a two-stroke lead over Bill Mehlhorn, with Hagen and Sarazen another stroke back.[1][4]
Jones had an even-par 70 in the third round to take a share of the 54-hole lead with Mehlhorn, while Black's 75 left him one behind. The leaders could not contend with Sarazen's brilliant play in the final round, recording a two-putt birdie on the finishing hole for a 68 and 288 total. Black needed to par the final two holes to force a playoff, but his tee shot on 17 went out of bounds and led to a double bogey. Needing an eagle on the par-5 18th to tie, Black's second shot landed ten feet (3 m) from the pin, but in a greenside bunker. When he failed to hole out from the sand, Sarazen clinched the title.[2][3]
Sarazen, age 20, became the fourth American-born champion of the U.S. Open, joining John McDermott, Francis Ouimet, and Hagen. He won a second U.S. Open ten years later in 1932.
