Following David Graham's win at the U.S. Open at Merion in 1981, it was felt by many that the relatively short course of about , small course area of (which limits gallery size), and lack of grounds to hold corporate tents and other infrastructure would preclude Merion from holding a major again. However, following some land acquisition nearby and lengthening of the East Course to nearly , many of these concerns appeared to be addressed. After successfully hosting the U.S. Amateur in 2005, the USGA awarded a fifth U.S. Open to Merion, held in 2013, 32 years after its last hosting of the national championship.