The U.S. Open was played for the first time back in 1904, in Van Cortlandt Park, in the New York City, and the champion was Wanderers (C. Randolph Snowden, John E Cowdin, Monte Waterbury y Lawrence Waterbury). For the last 25 years, it has been played in Florida and New York. To find the last time it was held in the West Coast, in California, we have to go back to 1993.
That was the third time the Eldorado Polo Club hosted the U.S. Open in a span of six years. The first time had been in 1987, which made it the first time the tournament was played in California in 30 years (since Santa Barbara PC, 1966). The Aloha Team, with Bob Fell, Memo and Carlos Gracida and Warren Scherer, defeated Potros 10-9, with a memorable goal to goal play Memo made and converted while riding his multi-awarded Kalliman, securing their victory.
The talented Mexican would be the key player in the other two events at Eldorado. In 1992, Hanalei Bay (Julio Arellano, Carlos y Guillermo Gracida y Ronald Bonaguidi) defeated Fish Creek 13-6. One year later, he and his cousin Rubén put Gehache, also with Mike Azzaro, Glen Holden Sr. y Joe Wayne Barry, back on the map, defeating Fish Creek 11-10 thanks to a great foul scored by Memo only seconds before the final bell, allowing Holden to become the eldest player to win the U.S. Open.
