30 years after the start of The Open, the US Open was first played in 1895, making it the second oldest of the modern day golf majors. Since 1895, the original golf majors were The Open, The Amateur Championship, The US Open, and The US Amateur. It wasn’t until 1960, when Arnold Palmer commented that he could win the Grand Slam, after he had won The Masters and The US Open, if he could manage to win The Open and The PGA, that the modern day golf majors were established.
The Championship was played for the first time on the same course and on the same week as the US Amateur. It was held at a 9-hole course at Newport Golf and Country Club, Rhode Island. It comprised 4 rounds of 9-holes played on the same day and was won by Englishman, Horace Rawlins. Only ten professionals and one amateur took part and the total prize money was $335.
From the original 36 holes in one day, the format of the event has changed several times during the years. The Championship was extended by the USGA to 72-holes in 1898; 36-holes played over each of two days. The format was changed in 1926 to 18-holes played over each of two days, finishing with 36 holes on the third day. The present day format was established in 1965 - 18-holes played over each of 4 days.