The 1911 U.S. Open was the 17th U.S. Open, held June 23–26 at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. Nineteen-year-old John McDermott became the first American-born U.S. Open champion by defeating Mike Brady and George Simpson in an 18-hole playoff. At 19, McDermott became the youngest U.S. Open champion, a mark that still stands. He was also the first American-born champion of the U.S. Open. He successfully defended his title the following year, but by 1914 he began suffering from mental illness and his career was essentially over by age 23.