Wyndham Clark survives hostile crowd and Sam Burns charge to win second U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills

Wyndham Clark entered Sunday pinch a six-shot lead astatine nan 2026 U.S. Open and triumph seemed each but inevitable until his bad boy thrust connected nan par-5 16th spread sailed into nan heavy fescue astatine Shinnecock Hills.

NBC on-course broadcaster Jim "Bones" Mackay described Clark's dishonesty successful nan gangly writer arsenic "horrendous." Others successful nan booth noted that Clark would beryllium fortunate to flight pinch par connected nan hole. But nan 32-year-old American someway managed to beforehand nan shot astir 180 yards and backmost into nan fairway earlier hitting his 3rd connected nan greenish and past sinking nan birdie putt that group nan shape for his 2nd U.S. Open victory.

Wyndham Clark celebrates pinch caddie David Pelekoudas aft winning nan 126th U.S. Open astatine Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. (Warren Little/Getty Images)

Clark entered nan last information pinch a six-shot lead complete 4 players, and he was an overwhelming favourite to hoist nan trophy astatine nan extremity of nan tournament. For nan mostly of nan weekend, destiny appeared to beryllium connected his side. It seemed for illustration each clip Clark deed a bad shot, nan adjacent point that followed was a commentator saying thing like, "he caught a break pinch this one." Clark led nan tourney aft each round, becoming nan first wire-to-wire U.S. Open winner since Martin Kaymer successful 2014.

But he battled done a awesome displacement successful luck connected Sunday afternoon. Not only did his luck flip, but truthful did nan crowd connected Long Island. It was clear from nan first spread that nan assemblage was rooting difficult for Scottie Scheffler, Clark's playing partner and 1 of nan 4 players who started nan time six shots backmost of nan leader.

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But that spilled into active cheering against Clark, to nan constituent that nan NBC broadcast reported that astatine slightest 2 fans were ejected from nan venue for crossing nan statement pinch their taunts toward Clark. According to newsman Kevin Van Valkenburg, 1 was tossed for saying "Don't choke, Wyndham" anterior to Clark's tee changeable connected No. 4.

Ejectable offenses aside, nan crowd roared for each bully Scheffler shot, but location was a noticeable moan erstwhile Clark would execute a bully shot.

Wyndham Clark celebrates aft making a putt during nan last information of nan 126th U.S. Open astatine Shinnecock Hills Golf Club successful Southampton, N.Y., connected June 21, 2026. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Unfortunately for Scheffler, and nan crowd pursuing nan group, nan world No. 1 didn't person rather arsenic overmuch magic successful his clubs connected Sunday arsenic Sam Burns did. Attempting to go a career Grand Slam winner connected his 30th birthday, Scheffler ne'er really put overmuch unit connected Clark. He bogeyed nan first spread and changeable a one-over 36 connected nan beforehand 9 earlier trudging his measurement to a one-over 71.

While astir golf fans astir apt assumed that Scheffler would beryllium nan feline to pursuit down Clark, it was Burns who emerged arsenic Clark’s biggest threat aft opening nan time astatine moreover par and 7 shots down Clark.

Not only did Burns travel retired firing, but Clark struggled early. He made bogey connected nan par-3 2nd hole, made a messiness of nan easiest spread connected nan course, nan par-5 fifth, for different bogey and past added a 3rd dropped changeable pinch a bogey connected No. 7.

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With momentum intelligibly gone and Burns charging, it would person been easy for Clark to wilt nether nan immense pressure. But he managed to dependable nan vessel and make par astatine No. 8 and No. 9 earlier ripping driver connected No. 10 consecutive down nan middle. The broadcast questioned nan prime of nine disconnected nan tee, but Clark's scheme worked to perfection, yet making his first birdie of nan day.

Clark made different bogey connected No. 13 and Burns sewage wrong 1 changeable of nan lead.

But 2 cardinal moments took spot down nan stretch. Burns, who was respective groups up of Clark, astir holed his birdie putt connected 18. As nan putt conscionable missed connected nan correct broadside of nan cup, Burns dropped to his knees. It was arsenic if he knew he mightiness person been conscionable that adjacent to winning nan U.S. Open. And he was.

Clark's 24-and-a-half-foot birdie putt connected 16 pushed his lead complete Burns backmost to 2 shots pinch 2 holes to play. At that moment, Clark could consciousness nan trophy successful his hands, and that's a acquainted emotion fixed he won nan 2023 U.S. Open astatine Los Angeles Country Club.

Wyndham Clark celebrates pinch woman Emily Tanner aft winning nan 126th U.S. Open astatine Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. (Warren Little/Getty Images)

But his nerves showed connected No. 17. Clark deed a blimpish tee changeable connected nan par-3, leaving himself a astir 70-foot putt. His birdie effort came up six feet short, and he followed that by pulling his par putt near to driblet his lead backmost to one.

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All Clark needed to do connected nan 72nd spread of nan tourney was to make par and he would go a two-time U.S. Open champion. And that's precisely what he did, though it didn't commencement great. Clark leaked his tee changeable to nan correct and it skirted into nan rough. He sewage nan shot to nan greenish successful two, but stood complete 50 feet away. Clark calmly stepped up and perfectly lagged his putt to wrong 1 ft of nan hole, tapped successful for par and became a two-time awesome champion.

And, connected Father's Day, Clark's dada amazed him by taking a red-eye formation to New York truthful that he could shake hands his boy pursuing nan victory.

Perhaps astir importantly, though, Clark became nan first American to triumph a awesome successful 2026 aft Europeans Rory McIlroy and Aaron Rai won the Masters and PGA Championship respectively.

That besides intends nan U.S. Open trophy is staying wherever it belongs.