One year after a frustrating U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club ended with broken lockers, public criticism, and a required apology, Wyndham Clark returned to golf’s toughest stage and delivered a performance that will be remembered for far different reasons.
Clark survived a tense Sunday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, holding off a furious charge from Sam Burns to win the 126th U.S. Open by one stroke at 4-under-par. Despite watching a six-shot advantage nearly disappear during a nerve-racking final round, Clark closed with a 3-over 73 to secure his second U.S. Open championship and third major title moment.
The victory made Clark the ninth wire-to-wire winner in U.S. Open history and further cemented his reputation as one of the game’s premier performers on golf’s biggest stages.
“It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough,” Clark’s play seemed to say throughout a dramatic final day on Long Island.
Clark arrived at Shinnecock carrying baggage from last year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont, where frustration boiled over after he missed the cut and damaged several historic lockers inside the clubhouse. The incident led to a temporary ban from the club, a charitable donation, and anger management counseling.
Throughout Sunday’s final round, spectators openly rooted for others in contention. One fan was reportedly ejected for heckling Clark, while cheers erupted when one of his tee shots found a bunker on the seventh hole. Meanwhile, playing partner Scottie Scheffler the world No. 1 and a fan favorite attempting to complete the career Grand Slam received chants of “Happy Birthday” as he celebrated his 30th birthday.
But despite the hostile atmosphere, Clark never relinquished the lead. Clark built his championship foundation early in the week. After benefiting from softer conditions following a fog delay on Thursday, he fired a spectacular 6-under 64 before adding rounds of 69 and 70. His 54-hole total of 7-under 203 established the lowest three-round score ever recorded at Shinnecock Hills.
The final round, however, became a survival test. Clark admitted afterward that he woke Sunday morning with “a pit in his stomach.” Those nerves showed early as he stumbled to a 3-over 38 on the front nine.
At the same time, Burns was making a charge. The former LSU star carded a brilliant 3-under 32 on the outward nine, trimming Clark’s seemingly comfortable lead to a single shot and creating the possibility of one of the biggest collapses in major championship history.
For a period, Clark appeared in danger of becoming the first player ever to squander a lead larger than five strokes in the U.S. Open. Only Greg Norman’s infamous six-shot collapse at the 1996 Masters remains a larger blown advantage in major championship history.
The turning point arrived at the par-5 16th.
After pulling his tee shot into thick native grass along the left side, Clark appeared headed for trouble. Instead, he delivered one of the tournament’s defining moments.
Muscling the ball back into the fairway, he then struck his third shot to within 24½ feet and calmly rolled in the birdie putt. The clutch birdie pushed his lead back to two strokes and gave him a crucial cushion entering the final stretch.
But the drama wasn’t finished. On the par-3 17th, Clark found the green but left himself a daunting 69-foot birdie attempt. He came up six feet short with his first putt and then missed the comeback attempt, resulting in a shocking three-putt bogey.
Suddenly, his lead over Burns was back to one. With the championship hanging in the balance, Clark stepped to the 18th tee needing one final steady hole.
His drive drifted into the first cut of rough on the right side, but his approach safely found the putting surface some 52 feet from the hole.
The pressure-packed first putt settled only inches from the cup, effectively securing the title.
Moments later, Clark tapped in for par and raised his arms as U.S. Open champion once again.
One of the most emotional scenes followed immediately afterward as he embraced his father, Randall Clark, who had taken a red-eye flight from Denver the night before. It marked the first time Randall had witnessed his son win on the PGA Tour in person.
That it happened on Father’s Day made the moment even more special.
Burns delivered the finest major championship performance of his career, shooting a final-round 67 to finish alone in second place at 3-under.
Tom Kim continued his resurgence by finishing third at 1-under after an even-par 70. The three-time PGA Tour winner had entered the championship needing to qualify after falling to 141st in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Scheffler’s pursuit of the career Grand Slam never gained momentum. Despite entering the day within striking distance, the world’s top-ranked player struggled on the greens and settled for a 1-over 71.
Scheffler tied for fourth at even par alongside Keith Mitchell and J.T. Poston.
At age 32, Clark continues to build one of the most impressive U.S. Open résumés of his generation.
After winning his first national championship at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023, he now owns two U.S. Open victories in only six starts. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only John McDermott, Walter Hagen, and Ernie Els captured two U.S. Open titles in fewer appearances.
He also became just the eighth golfer in championship history to hold sole possession of the lead after all four rounds of a U.S. Open.
While his ball-striking showed signs of vulnerability over the weekend—hitting only 20 of 36 greens in regulation during the final two rounds—his short game proved championship-worthy. Clark converted 66 percent of his scrambling opportunities and gained more than 1.5 strokes on the field with the putter.
As the sun set over Shinnecock Hills and Clark carried the gleaming U.S. Open trophy toward the clubhouse, a handful of New York fans offered applause and encouragement.
After a week spent battling pressure, history, and skepticism, Wyndham Clark had accomplished what mattered most.
The critics were still there. The doubts remained. But once again, he was the last man standing at America’s national championship.
