1. Johnny Miller (US): 1973

Six shots behind Arnold Palmer and Julius Boros with one round to go, Miller had what many consider the finest round in the history of the championship. He opened with four birdies in succession and added four more - dropping just one shot when he three-putted the par-three 8th - for a round of 63 and a course record that still stands today. Shaken by what he saw unfolding on the scoreboards, Palmer fell away, as did Boros, and Miller cruised through for a one-shot victory over John Schlee.

2. Jack Nicklaus (US): 1962

The year the Golden Bear, a 22-year-old rookie, announced his arrival on the big stage by beating Arnold Palmer in an 18-hole play-off for the first of his 18 professional major championships. Nicklaus, who finished runner-up to Palmer while an amateur two years earlier, was four shots ahead after six holes and, despite being pegged back to one shot after 12, he went on to score 71 to Palmer's 74.

3. Ben Hogan (US): 1953

Hogan, who had a closing round of 71, led from wire-to-wire for a six-shot winning margin over Sam Snead, who had trailed by just one shot with six holes to play. Later that year, Hogan became only the third player, behind Gene Sarazen and Bobby Jones, to win the US Open and the Open Championship in the same year.

4. Sam Parks Jr (US): 1935

Local knowledge held Parks, a local club professional, in good stead. After playing around 100 rounds in preparation for his challenge Parks, on 11 over par, beat Jimmy Thomson by two shots and Walter Hagen by three. The average score that week was 80.55 with just three players getting under par in any of the rounds.

5. Ernie Els (SA): 1994

In extreme heat, Els defeated Colin Montgomerie and Loren Roberts in a play-off to secure the first of two US Open crowns and, at 24, to become the youngest winner of the title since Jerry Pate, in 1975. After 18 holes of the play-off, Els and Roberts were tied on 74, with Monty shooting a disappointing 78. It meant that for only the second time in the championship's history the competition went to sudden-death, with Els coming through to win on the second extra hole

The other two:

1983: Larry Nelson comes from behind for a one-shot victory over Tom Watson.

1927: Tommy Armour wins and remains to this day the last Scotsman to have won the championship.