Wyndham Clark has won his second US Open title, surviving a dramatic final-round charge from Sam Burns at Shinnecock. Clark held on for a one-shot victory to claim the $4.5 million winner’s prize in a tense New York finish watched by his surprised father.
What was meant to be a victory lap turned into a dogfight. Clark started the final day with a massive six-shot lead, but it evaporated quickly under pressure. He played the front nine in a shaky three-over-par as Burns came out firing, making three birdies to slash the deficit. The lead was down to just two shots after Clark made a shocking bogey on the easy par-five fifth. It was game on.
Clark admitted his performance was far from perfect. “I played some ugly golf the last two days but my putter and short game kept me in it,” he said. He finally steadied himself with a crucial birdie on the tenth hole. As Burns’s charge stalled with a three-putt bogey on 15, Clark regained control. He made a huge birdie on 16 before giving a shot back on 17, setting up a nail-biting walk down the 18th with a one-shot lead. He sealed the win with a superb two-putt par from 52 feet.
The victory came in front of a New York crowd that was loudly backing playing partner Scottie Scheffler on his 30th birthday. Clark acknowledged the reception. “Some of it is self-deserved I did some things last year I regret but hopefully I can win you over.” He added his putting was the difference. “To make all the putts I did was amazing but it comes down to just believing good things are going to happen.”
The win was capped by an emotional surprise on the 18th green. His father, Randall, had taken a red-eye flight to watch him win. “That was a shock,” Clark told NBC. “My dad hasn’t been to many events but in 2023 he wasn’t there which was really unfortunate.”
