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Miracle at Merion

By 1950, the U.S. Open was a major sporting event on the men’s side, having been contested since 1895. The 1950 edition was held at Merion Golf Club near Philadelphia. Entering the final round, 1948 champion Ben Hogan trailed Lloyd Mangrum by two strokes. That Hogan was in contention at all was remarkable for the fact that he was still recovering from a serious car accident in 1949. Hogan suffered breaks to his ribs, collarbone, pelvis, and ankle. Doctors said he would be lucky to walk again.

For Hogan to even be playing, much less contending at the U.S. Open just over a year later was miraculous. Playing on painful legs that were still bandaged, Hogan famously saved par on the 18th hole with a terrific 1-iron shot. Hy Peskin’s photo of the shot is one of the most famous in the sport. The shot helped Hogan get into an 18-hole playoff, which he won easily.

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