PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The U.S. Open at Pebble Beach was an ideal time for the USGA to bring together its U.S. Open champions for a dinner, which it last did in 2013 at Merion. The attendance was overwhelming and more exclusive than any other such celebration at a dinner.
It attracted 33 of the living 36 champions, spanning 56 years of U.S. Opens — from Jack Nicklaus in 1962 at Oakmont to Brooks Koepka in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills. The only champions who couldn't attend were Larry Nelson (1983), Fuzzy Zoeller (1984) and Raymond Floyd (1986) because of commitments that had already been scheduled or family health issues.