The inaugural edition in September 1962 included only the "Big Three" of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player.

[12][13] The highest paying major at the time was the Masters with a winner's share of $20,000; Nicklaus had won $17,500 at the U.S. Open at Oakmont, which included a sizable $2,500 playoff bonus from the extra day's gate receipts, well-attended due to the presence of favorite son Palmer.

At the time of his big Akron payday, the U.S. Open was Nicklaus' only tour victory as a rookie, but he won the next two events at Seattle ($4,300)[14][15] and Portland ($3,500).

[18][19] Nicklaus repeated as the World Series winner in September, one stroke ahead of Julius Boros, with Palmer in third and Bob Charles in fourth.

In the final year of the four-man format in 1975, Tom Watson won with a two-stroke advantage over runner-up Nicklaus.

[34] In 1976, it became a 72-hole, $300,000 PGA Tour event and its field was initially expanded to twenty;[3][35][36] the victory and $100,000 winner's share went to Nicklaus.

The field consisted of the winners of all the high status men's professional golf tournaments around the world in the previous twelve months.

[5][6] The expansion wasn't well-received by all players, and a notable absence was Seve Ballesteros of Spain, who opted out.