You may or may not heard, but Johnny Miller once played the greatest round in U.S. Open history. Yes, that’s a hint of sarcasm you’re picking up. Johnny Miller’s record-setting 63 during the final round of the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont is one of the most talked about feats in golf history. Heck, you probably heard about it from Miller himself, who wasn’t shy about discussing the round during his 29-year run in the NBC booth.
That gives Miller some gravitas on the grounds at this year’s U.S. Open, where he appeared on Friday and Saturday for an emotional encore. Though Miller has shied away from the spotlight since retiring in 2019 due to health issues and the death of his wife, he clearly hasn’t lost a step in the dig department. Known for his, erm, frank takes as a golf analyst, Miller didn’t waste much time dialing up another dagger, using a Saturday press conference with fellow Oakmont U.S. Open champion Jack Nicklaus to launch one of his trademark shots across the bow of Bryson DeChambeau. Take it away, king.
Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller were asked what the keys are for players this weekend at the U.S. Open
Jack: “Patience.”
Johnny: “It's still all about hitting that ball in the fairway. You see the guys that don't — like Bryson DeChambeau, he was living in the rough there this… pic.twitter.com/kM7CMjsCYV
— Patrick McDonald (@pmcdonaldCBS) June 14, 2025
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Check out the extended transcript of Miller’s answer below for more context.
Moderator: For both of you who have won here in a U.S. Open, what qualities and aspects of your game do you think need to be especially sharp as we get into Saturday and Sunday here in the 2025 U.S. Open? What should we be looking for this week?
Johnny Miller: Jack was really the first guy that would hit a 3-wood or a 1-iron off the tee which other guys never did. Almost nobody did.
Jack Nicklaus: Most guys went ahead and drove it and hit it in the rough, right?
Johnny Miller: So when you can get the ball in the fairway you can work the ball if you need to, and you eliminate so many mistake upon mistakes. If you hit it here in this rough and you try to get too much out of the lie, you get in even more trouble. It’s still all about hitting that ball in the fairway. You see the guys that don’t — like Bryson DeChambeau, he was living in the rough there this last couple days. Of course he gets to watch it on TV today.”
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“Of course he gets to watch it on TV today.” Mr. Miller, sir, you are aging like a fine burgundy.
Since LIV became a core part of the golf lexicon in 2021, we haven’t heard much from Miller about the upstart league, but perhaps the shade he threw at DeChambeau—who missed the cut as the reigning U.S. OIpen champ on Friday— is instructive. At the very least, it’s classic Johnny, and even DeChambeau would admit it’s good to have him back at Oakmont once again.
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
