While the Watson-Nicklaus battle during the '77 British Open at Turnberry the "Duel in the Sun" will never be topped, their '82 tête-à-tête at Pebble Beach was a thrilling encore. Entering the final round, Nicklaus trailed Watson by three strokes, only to charge back, leveling the score. As Watson sat in impossible rough on 17, tied with Nicklaus (who was watching from a TV tower behind the 18th green), things looked bleak for the eight-time major winner. However, Watson's chip rolled right into the hole, a miracle birdie and perhaps the most famous shot in Open history. "I just about jumped into the Pacific," Watson said. Nicklaus' reaction? "That SOB did it to me again."
Top 10 U.S. Open Golf Duels
At last year's U.S. Open in Torrey Pines, Calif., Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate faced each other in an unforgettable playoff. Can a match at Bethpage Black live up to Tiger-Rocco? Throughout its 113-year history, the U.S. Open, which will be played June 18-21 in Bethpage, N.Y., has staged some of the most dramatic, and colorful, duels in golf. Here are TIME's 10 best.