Wynd-swept: Clark running away with U.S. Open
Taking full advantage of the ideal side of the draw, Wyndham has soared at Shinnecock
Wyndham Clark and his putter have taken full ownership of Shinnecock and U.S. Open (Logan Whitton/USGA)
There are no sure things in golf. Ask Greg Norman about the 1996 Masters or Jean van de Velde about the 1999 Open.
The biggest stages in all sports have a way of turning what seems like insurmountable leads into pure theater. Like the Atlanta Falcons up 28-3 late in the third quarter of the Super Bowl and surrendering 31 unanswered points to the New England Patriots. Or the New York Knicks trailing the Victor Wembanyama and the Dallas Mavericks by 29 in the second half before staging the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history,
So Sunday we’ll get to see if 2023 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark can keep cruising with a daunting six-shot lead with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler playing beside him and chasing history of his own in the final round of the 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
“I’d rather be leading,” said Scottie Scheffler, who’s chasing from six behind (Dustin Satloff/USGA)
Scottie’s chasing history, but it’s Clark’s to lose
By Bob Harig
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — All of the storylines are there. Father’s Day. Birthday. The career Grand Slam.
But one big obstacle stands in the way of Scottie Scheffler on Sunday at Shinnecock Hills: Wyndham Clark.
The 2023 U.S. Open champion at Los Angeles Country Club is on a month-long hot streak that has continued through three rounds of the 126th U.S. Open, where he’ll take a commanding six-shot lead into the final round.
It is tied for the fourth-largest 54-hole lead in U.S. Open history, behind only Tiger Woods’ 10-shot masterpiece in 2000 at Pebble Beach, Rory McIlroy’s eight-shot edge in 2011 at Congressional and Jim Barnes’ seven-shot lead in 1921.
Throughout history, 21 players have led a major championship by six or more strokes with one round remaining and only one of those players lost — Greg Norman to Nick Faldo in the 1996 Masters.
The largest 54-hole lead lost in U.S. Open history happened in 1919 when Mike Brady couldn’t hold onto a five-shot lead and eventually lost an 18-hole playoff to Walter Hagen.
Click here for full U.S. Open leaderboard
To greet Clark on the first tee Sunday afternoon will be Scheffler, the world No. 1 and four-time major champion whose struggles this year have been more pronounced than at any time in the last four seasons but who still is within site of a monumental achievement. A victory at the U.S. Open that would make him the seventh player to complete the career Grand Slam — and on his 30th birthday, to boot.
“I think it’s appropriate to understand what’s at stake,” said Scheffler, whose score of 69 was one of just two under-par cards posted in the third round. “I’ve worked really hard for a long time to have a chance to win golf tournaments and to win major championships.
“I think understanding the moment and giving it your best shot I think is all part of the process. … I want to be in these positions. This is why we practice and play, to have the opportunity to win golf tournaments,. And that’s what (Sunday) is.
“I have an opportunity to go out there and have a great round and give myself a chance to win the tournament. … But overall, proud of how we played on the back nine, and going into tomorrow, just continue to do what I need to do and try and execute.”
It’s going to take a lot of proper execution and probably a good bit of help, too, from Clark, who has been seemingly playing a different golf course than the rest of the field.
He has led all the way, increasing his lead from two to four to six strokes after each round. Saturday’s even-par 70 was enough to expand his advantage despite missing a third straight round in the 60s when he bogeyed the final hole from inside seven feet.
And while the course has gotten progressively harder — there were 16 players under par after the first round, 10 after the second and now just five — Clark has barely flinched. He’s enjoyed the calmer side of the draw, taking advantage of lesser winds late Thursday and Saturday, but he’s handled everything better than the rest.
He bogeyed the opening hole Sunday and only Sam Stevens — who has never won on the PGA Tour — got as close as two shots.
Stevens is tied with Scheffler, Sahith Theegala and Tom Kim for second at 1-under par.
Rory McIlroy made an early run up the leaderboard on Sunday, getting within three shots of the lead with three straight birdies on 5, 6 and 7. But his momentum stalled when he missed the green from 50 yards at the 10th hole and made a bogey. He ended-up with a back-nine 40 and a score of 73 to fall into a tie for 17th, 11 shots behind Clark.
Major champions Xander Schauffele (73) and Matt Fitzpatrick (74), who played in the final group with Clark, also fell back.
Clark has been on a strong run of late after a period of poor golf that coincided with a couple of high-profile issues in which his temper got the best of him. He flung a club and got a rebuke last year at the PGA Championship, then went through a public scolding after it was learned he trashed his locker after missing the cut at the U.S. Open played at Oakmont.
He shot a final-round 60 last month to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, his first win in more than two years and his fourth PGA Tour victory. He added a third-place finish at the Memorial Tournament and tied for 11th at the RBC Canadian Open to carry momentum into Shinnecock.
Clark leads the field in scrambling, getting up and down seven of nine times Saturday and 13 of 17 times for the tournament. He is also second in the field in strokes gained tee to green and first in putting.
It has been a strong performance and has put him within another round of a second U.S. Open title.
“I’ve got a big challenge (on Sunday),” Clark said. “I’m playing with the best player in the world on one of the best courses in the world.
“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. But really I’m just going to keep approaching it the same way. If I go out and execute and go through my process and hit the shots I know I can hit, I like my chances.
“But yeah, we’ll address that when we get to it. I’m not necessarily thinking about my lead or anything. It’s more of, hey, if I can get to this number, I like my chances.”
Scheffler is trying for his first U.S. Open win but he’ll need to buck history to do it. No player has blown more than a five-shot lead through 54 holes at the U.S. Open. If he is able to prevail, he would become just the seventh player to complete a career Grand Slam, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
“I’d rather be leading,” said Scheffler, who has 20 PGA Tour victories and four major titles. “I mean, after three days, like I said, I’ve been — 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.”
