Wyndham Clark holds a surprising four-shot lead at the U.S. Open’s halfway point at Shinnecock Hills. While Clark sits at seven under, major champions Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau all missed the four-over cut line.
The primary surprise is the man at the top of the leaderboard. One editor noted Clark’s recent form but remained skeptical of his ability to consistently perform on the biggest stages. “I’ll take the low-hanging fruit here. I did not expect Wyndham Clark to hold a four-shot lead at the 36-hole mark. But maybe I should have given him more credit! He is, after all, a recent champion, after winning the 2023 edition in Los Angeles. And he’s been trending of late, with a win, a solo third and a T11 in his last three starts. So given those stats, his lead really shouldn’t be all that surprising — but Wyndham doesn’t strike me as a player who will consistently contend on the biggest stages. If he notches another U.S. Open win this weekend though, that will make a huge statement.”
Further analysis suggests Clark’s score may even flatter his ball-striking, though his putting has been elite. “This may sound silly to say about someone who is leading a tournament by four at the halfway point, but I think Wyndham’s score is slightly better than his actual play has been. He got a couple of good breaks with some wayward drives (it seems the bigger misses are less penalized than the thick rough right off the fairway) and he drained some long putts. That said, you gotta put the ball in the hole. And he’s done it the best so far. Another surprise? Besides Tom Kim having his best week of his season out of nowhere (he’s T2) it has to be Jon Rahm missing the cut. I heard lots of buzz surrounding him this week and now he’s leaving early after shooting 10 shots higher on Friday.”
Perhaps more stunning were the high-profile exits, particularly from the pre-tournament favorite from the LIV Golf tour. “Watching someone take it that deep into red at Shinnecock – where only three players have ever finished under par in a U.S. Open — was unexpected for sure. But maybe more surprising was watching Jon Rahm implode on Friday. I did not have him ballooning to a 78 on my bingo card, especially after he played his opening round a full 10 shots better.”
Another unexpected storyline came from a player whose press conference generated as much attention as his play. “Harry Higgs, but not so much for his play, though it is surprising considering his recent form (six PGA Tour starts this season and six missed cuts, and four missed cuts in nine starts on the Korn Ferry Tour). I’m not sure I’ve heard a more honest and open press conference afterward. He talked about being confident. He talked about quitting. He talked about forgetting his pants. Do yourself a favor and listen to it.”
