Wyndham Clark – is six shots enough at Shinnecock Hills?
Clark lines up his important eagle putt at the 16th today – image USGA Logan Whitton
Wyndham Clark will take a six-shot lead into tomorrow’s final round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, Long Island, after a missed four-foot par putt on the last hole gave his closest pursuers perhaps a glimmer of hope.
Clark, who led by three after the first round, four after 36 holes and now six, bogeyed the opening hole today. Sam Stevens, playing in the group ahead and starting four shots back, birdied the first to cut the gap to two.
That was as close as the chasers came in round three. Clark reached the turn in one-over 36, then produced a superb display of par-saving golf before moving to eight under for the tournament at the par-five 16th, where his 250-yard approach finished four feet from the hole and he converted for eagle, the first of the week at that hole
Clark’s 36-hole challengers had largely fallen away by the time he stood over his second shot from the rough on the 18th with a seven-shot lead. A three-putt from the edge of the green reduced the margin to six, but he still left the course in firm control.
Clark was visibly frustrated with his play after his missed par putt at the last, but he had composed himself by the time he reached the media centre.
“It was very up and down, holy smokes,” he said. “I hit some good shots; I hit some terrible shots. I was a little frustrated with some of the execution.
“At the end of the day, I improved my lead, which is awesome, and I shot even par on a very tough golf course.”
“The more time passes after the round, the more accepting I am of some of the mistakes I made. Overall, it was a good day.
“I’ve become much better at moving on, treating each shot as its own challenge rather than dwelling on how I got there. Now I focus on the shot in front of me, embrace the challenge and try to hit the best shot I can.”
“That is huge in golf. In the past, especially when I was playing poorly, I let previous shots or holes affect the next one. Improving that has probably helped me the most.”
Leads of this size can be difficult to manage, with players often unsure whether to protect the advantage or keep pushing. Clark has been in contention before, although when he won at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023, he was tied for the lead after 54 holes before beating Rory McIlroy by one shot.
Clark must now manage a six-shot lead while playing alongside one of his nearest challengers in tomorrow’s final round: world number one Scottie Scheffler.
“Scottie is the best player in the world, and he is probably going to play very well,” Clark said. “He always does, but it is nice to have a six-shot lead on him.”
“I’m going to keep approaching it the same way. If I execute, stick to my process and hit the shots I know I can hit, I like my chances.”
“We’ll address that when we get to it. I’m not focused on my lead; it is more about reaching a number that I believe will give me a strong chance.”
Several players remain within reach if Clark falters tomorrow. Eleven are between six and eight shots off the lead and a strong under par finishing round might just put the cat amongst the pigeons in the event of Clark struggles.
Scottie Scheffler emerged with a back nine of 32 today as seemingly Clark’s biggest threat. Scheffler opened with consecutive bogeys but put together an outstanding back nine, which could have been so much better and the final day even more intriguing but for two missed putts from inside 6 feet at the 17th and 18th.
I mean, I’d rather be leading (laughing),” said Scheffler when asked his thoughts about tomorrow.
“No, 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.
“I have an opportunity to go out there and have a great round and give myself a chance to win the tournament.”
Not only is it Father’s Day tomorrow, but it is Scheffler’s 30th birthday, and whether he can celebrate both occasions with a victory remains to be seen.
It might seem like a fait accompli tomorrow, but strange things happen on Sunday in major championship golf and tomorrow might yet be a fight to the finish.
Before this week, 21 players have had a 6+ shot lead entering the final round of a major championship. Twenty went on to win. The exception is Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters (shot 78 in the final round and lost to Nick Faldo by five strokes).
Ryan Fox, the only Australasian to make the weekend, lost virtually no ground with his round of 74 to be at 7 over and tied for 47th.
