If you watched the 2019 US Open at Pebble Beach, there was probably one name you heard nearly as often as you heard Brooks Koepka’s name mentioned: Willie Anderson.

Willie, of course, was the last (and only) man to win the toughest test in golf three consecutive times. Before he became a US Open legend, he was a young Scotsman born in North Berwick, meaning he had golf in his blood. He started looping the West Links at the age of 11 and, when he wasn’t in school, he made clubs as an apprentice in Gullane.

By 16, he was on a boat to Ellis Island and found his way to Chicago Golf Club only a few months later to tee it up in the US Open. Leading on 18 in the final round, Willie lost by one after a dramatic closing eagle and served notice that he would be a formidable competitor for years to come. But his US Open story really begins and ends at The Fliers Club’s favorite haunt: Myopia Hunt Club.

Look up any record related to highest scores in the US Open, and Myopia owns nearly every single one. A single round of 157, a winning score of 331. Architect Herbert C. Leed’s greens have perplexed many a competitive golfer and Myopia can credibly claim to providing the foundation for “golf’s toughest test” as any other course in the US. By 1908, Myopia had hosted four opens - with Chicago Golf Club being the only other repeat host, with two championships held.

Willie had been in contention at the first US Open at Myopia in 1898, leading after the second round before rounds of 87 and 86 derailed his chances. At the 1901 Open, Willie again found himself in position to win on 18 on Saturday afternoon. In the early days, the championship would be contested in two days - back to back 36 hole days on Friday and Saturday. Somewhat inconceivably by modern standards, nobody broke 80 at any point in the 1901 championship. Willie was in with a 331, when Alex Smith narrowly missed his putt on 18 for 330 - prompting the first playoff in US Open history.

The US Open’s longstanding tradition (until recent years) of an 18-hole playoff would begin at Myopia, but would have to wait an extra day. Sunday was reserved for member play, and would preempt any playoff to settle a golf major.

Willie turned to the Myopia head pro, John Jones, for a bit of strategic advice, putting him on his bag as caddy for the playoff. Yet Willie found himself five strokes down with five holes to play, in dire straits. He rattled off four straight 4s on 14 through 17 while Smith struggled, squaring the match. Playing back down the 18th towards the iconic yellow clubhouse, Anderson made a tap in par while Smith scrambled from the greenside rough, chipping to four feet. It is perhaps comforting to Smith that Twitter was not in existence at the time, saving him a bit of embarrassment as his putt failed to touch the hole, leaving Anderson the victor by 1.

Willie would finish T5 in his first attempt to defend his title, but recaptured it in 1903 in a playoff again at Baltusrol and successfully defended it at Glen View in 1904. His three-peat attempt would have to come at Myopia.

In 1905 it was again a battle with Alex Smith for the trophy: Smith was tied for first after the second round while Willie sat in 8th. But after 10 straight career rounds in the 80s at Myopia, Willie closed with a 76 and a 77, winning the title for the third consecutive time by two strokes. His exploits at Myopia bookended his run of four titles in five years, still perhaps the best stretch in the major’s history.

Myopia would host a final time in 1908 (Anderson finished fourth) before the championship moved on to a larger set of courses in a wider part of the country. In the 10 short years that it was a major championship venue, Myopia had amassed enough history to put it squarely in the conversation with other iconic US Open venues that have shaped the toughest major in golf, and golf in the US as a whole.