Wyndham Clark flirted with one of the most dramatic final-round stumbles in U.S. Open history, but he steadied himself when it mattered most Sunday at Shinnecock Hills, holding off Sam Burns and a largely unsympathetic crowd to claim his second national championship in four years.
Clark began the day with a six-shot cushion, only to see the advantage shrink under mounting pressure. He ultimately sealed the victory with a composed two-putt par from just beyond 50 feet, finishing with a 3-over 73 and edging Burns by one stroke.
The win added to Clark’s 2023 U.S. Open triumph at Los Angeles Country Club and made him the tournament’s first wire-to-wire champion since Martin Kaymer dominated at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014.
This one, however, was far from a runaway. Clark’s lead was cut to a single shot through five holes, and the tension never fully eased over the closing stretch.
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The decisive moment came at the par-5 16th, where Clark appeared to be in trouble after one of his poorest tee shots of the round. He hacked his way back into position, narrowly cleared a bunker, then watched his 8-iron cling to the back of the green. From there, he buried a 30-foot birdie putt to restore a two-shot lead with two holes remaining.
The putt should have brought a roar, but the response was restrained. Much of the gallery had spent the day pulling for Scottie Scheffler, who was chasing the career Grand Slam. Scheffler made too many errors of his own, though, and never drew closer than three shots.
Clark’s closing 73 was the highest final round by a U.S. Open winner since Graeme McDowell shot 74 at Pebble Beach. Still, the result was undeniable: the 32-year-old American now owns two U.S. Open titles and has won twice in the past month.
Burns closed with a 67, his second chance in as many years to win the U.S. Open. He missed two birdie chances on the final two holes, but what hurt just as much was a three-putt bogey on the 15th when he was trying to catch Clark.
