Wyndham Clark six shots clear heading into final round of 126th US Open
Bidding to become two-time winner, American holds biggest lead in USGA event heading into final day in 15 years
This is officially now a US Open at Shinnecock Hills. The only problem for the other players in the field for the event’s 126th edition is that Wyndham Clark still looks as though he is playing a different golf course.
People seemed to be uncomfortable about an unusually high number of players under par after the opening round at the Long Island venue then at the halfway stage as well. This, after all, is where only three players had finished in red figures in the four most recent previous editions.
The number of players under par so far this week is now down to just five, with four of those sitting on one under. But guess what? They trail Clark, the 2023 winner, by no less than six shots. Yes, you read that right!
We’d been warned that history might work against the American as no 36-hole leader at Shinnecock Hills had gone on to win the championship. It is going to take an almighty last-day collapse, though, for the record books not to be ripped up on Sunday.
On a day when the earlier starters faced the toughest test in windy conditions but those out later faced baked-out greens, Clark maintained his impressive form from the opening two days to stay on course to become the first wire-to-wire US Open winner since Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst in 2014.
After going out in one over, having mixed a birdie at the fifth with dropped shots at the first and eighth, he made two superb up and downs to save par at the tenth and 11th holes. Before he achieved the feat, only 37 per cent of players had successfully saved par from behind the tenth green this week
A birdie at the par-4 14th was cancelled out at the next hole before the 32-year-old delivered one of the shots of the week, smacking a 5-wood from 275 yards to four feet to set up an eagle at the par-5 16th.
After missing a four-footer to drop a shot at the 18th, he signed for a 69, which, coupled with opening scores of 64-69, left him sitting miles clear of the field heading into the closing circuit.
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler is among those leading the chase pack, having come home in three-under 32 to sit alongside compatriots Sahith Theegala and Sam Stevens, as well as Korean Tom Kim.
“It was very up and down, holy smokes,” said Clark, who landed his first win in this event on then opposite side of the country at Los Angeles Country Club. “I hit some good shots; I hit some terrible shots.
“Yeah, I was a little frustrated with myself with some of the execution. You know, at the end of the day, I improved my lead, which is awesome, and I shot even par on a very tough golf course.”
On holding the biggest lead in this event since Rory McIlroy was eight in front at the same stage as he went on to land a maiden major win at Congressional 15 years ago, he added: “Yeah. Scottie is the best player in the world, and he's going to play probably really good. He always does, but it's nice to have a six-shot lead on him.”
Twelve months after he trashed the locker-room at Oakmont after missing the cut, though, Clark looks unstoppable as he bids to join both Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau as recent multiple winners in the USGA event.
On a day when he was one of just two players to break par, Scheffler dug deep to keep alive his bid to become the latest player after Rory McIlroy to complete a career grand slam, though a missed eagle attempt at the 16th following a lucky bounce then a squandered birdie chance at the last made that a little bit more difficult heading into the last day.
“It’s extremely challenging out there,” he declared. “The golf course started to firm up. It was kind of a bit of a guessing game in terms of what kind of bounce you're going to get, soft or firm.”
Given that his game didn’t seem to be in a great place as he opened with a 72 to find himself trailing Clark by eight shots after the opening round, Scheffler is the man who the leader will be fearing most.
“I’d rather be leading,” he said, laughing, of his position on the leaderboard. “We've been battling hard for a few days, and I did a good job of keeping myself in the tournament. I'll need a really nice round tomorrow if I'm going to try and catch Wyndham.”
McIlroy, the 2011 winner, needs an even better one. After reeling off three birdies in a row from the fifth to move to two under, he looked set to be the man who could really turn up the heat on Clark.
For the second day running, though, McIlroy stumbled on the back nine. He took 38 blows on that stretch on Friday and it was 40 this time. Sitting ten shots behind Clark, he needs a Paul Lawrie-style comeback on the last day.
In what now seems a forlorn bid to make it a hat-trick of major wins for European players this season, English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick both sit eight shots behind the leader on one over. Fitzpatrick’s younger brother, Alex, is a shot further back.
Without a shadow of doubt, the round of the day belonged to Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo. He started out way down the field on three under but, after carding an incredible 67 in the toughest part of the day, Grillo is now up to joint-sixth on level par.
After just making the cut, 2025 runner-up Bob MacIntyre leapt up to joint-47th after a 73 for a seven over total. His playing partner in the closing circuit will be Chris Gotterup, meaning it will be the last two Genesis Scottish Open champions out together.
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