Critiquing the Outfits Worn by the Last 10 U.S. Open Winners

To celebrate the final round of the U.S. Open, GolfThreads contributor Ian Galbraith looked back at the outfits worn by past 10 winners on their championship Sundays.

The world of golf fashion has evolved over the past 10 years, mostly for the better, and there are some gems from past winners. Over the last decade, the biggest change in golf fashion has been the emphasis on fit. Gone are the days of the baggy pants and oversized polos. The world of fashion is constantly changing and will continue to evolve with the times. Enjoy the walk down memory lane with these US Open winners.

See Also: U.S. Open Fashion Dimes & Crimes: Day 2

2016: Dustin Johnson, Oakmont Country Club
Adidas has found a great look for DJ and they are sticking to the playbook every week. He pairs a nice tailored solid blue shirt with a pair of khaki colored pants. The crocodile belt is a great touch. A small piece of advice—an exotic belt from House of Fleming adds major points to any outfit on or off the course. DJ’s clothes always fit great thanks to custom tailored polos and pants. Plus, he has the build every designer dreams about when creating clothes. The white shoes are a bit ho-hum, though.

2015: Jordan Spieth, Chambers Bay
Jordan Spieth’s attire took a big leap forward from 2014 to 2015. Gone were baggy shirts and ill-fitting pants. In were tailored polos and slim cut trousers. The new clothes probably weren’t the reason for his stellar 2015, but maybe they helped just a bit. The outfit he wore on Sunday at Chambers Bay was a good look for the young Texan. The white belt gets a passing grade because it is paired with white pants. 2015 was his coming out party. It was also when he started wearing every shade of blue on golf’s biggest stages.

2014: Martin Kaymer, Pinehurst No. 2
Martin Kaymer looked like a kid when he went wire-to-wire to win the US Open by 8 strokes just three years ago. His outfit was a sign of the times, though. The white belt and indoor soccer shoes are downright bad. Give him credit for having a shirtsleeve tight enough that it could have also served as a blood pressure cuff if anybody fainted on the course. Kaymer will never make the top 10 list of best dressed, but when you win majors like he does, maybe it doesn’t matter what you wear.

2013: Justin Rose, Merion Golf club
The Englishmen’s style has evolved over the years and he has found a nice groove with Adidas. But in 2013, he was in the heart of the white belt and loose white pants phase. For a golfer who comes from the land of some of the best-tailored clothing in the world, he badly missed the mark with this outfit. The pants are too loose and way too long. The blue polo shirt would still look good on the course today even if it was a bit on the baggy side.

2012: Webb Simpson, The Olympic Club
The cardigan was on a hot streak at the US Open as two of the three winners between 2010 and 2012 wore “open faced” sweaters on their way to victories. Webb’s outfit is a bold choice for what has become his career’s crowning achievement. Ralph Lauren did him no favors, though, with the fit of his clothes. He gets positive marks for his cardigan and printed pants even if he had enough extra fabric to open a Jo Anne’s.

2011: Rory McIlroy, Congressional Country Club
Rory’s outfit when he won at Congressional is a lesson in less is always more when it comes to golf attire. The white pants were too long; the big Oakley belt buckle was distracting, and billboard like golf shirt definitely dated the young star. The shirt still looks good to this day and the pants with a little nip and tuck would also look good. Rory came into his own from a fashion standpoint once Nike started outfitting him. I get the sense that he was having more fun with his attire when he was wearing Oakley gear, rather than being the face of the Swoosh.

2010: Graeme McDowell, Pebble Beach Golf Links
Now, this is one stylish outfit and clearly the best one worn by a U.S. Open winner over the past 10 years. The pink shirt, pink belt, cream pants, and gray cardigan would still look great today. G-Mac looks like he could have walked out of the 19th hole while drinking a Summer Shandy to play a couple of holes with his pals as the sun set over the Pacific. He has always been one of the better dressed players on the Tour. Good looking, well-tailored clothing never goes out of style.

2009: Lucas Glover, Bethpage Black
Lucas Glover was not stylishly dressed for the one shining moment of his golf career. Instead, he looked like a golfer who was as surprised as everybody else that he won the U.S. Open. Nothing is terribly wrong with his outfit, but he just looks like every other golfer you see on your Saturday morning round.

2008: Tiger Woods, Torrey Pines South
Oh, Tiger. How much do we miss you playing golf? I am definitely not a card-carrying Tiger fanboy, but the Red polo and black pants combined to make the most intimidating outfit of its day and it ranks up there with the best of his generation. Even when his pants were custom made, Tiger suffered from Baggy Pant Syndrome, but this doesn’t detract from the aura of the look. The polo fits great and the red pops against the green fairways. If I close my eyes and think way, way back, I can still remember Tiger winning majors while being on top of the world. Oh, how it feels to reminisce.

2007: Angel Cabrera, Oakmont Country Club
This was a solid final day attire choice from the Argentinian. The black pants fit well and the shirt, although a little busy, was tailored nicely. Even though Angel won ten years ago, his outfit would still look good at Erin Hills today. This proves that a basic polo shirt can look great when properly tailored.