Wyndham Clark's remarkable turnaround continues to unfold on the windswept fairways of Shinnecock Hills. The American holds a commanding four-shot lead heading into Saturday's third round after posting the lowest 36-hole score in US Open history at the course.
Clark, the 2023 champion, carded consecutive rounds of 64 and 69 for a seven-under total that eclipsed the previous halfway record of six under set by Phil Mickelson and Shigeki Maruyama in 2004. His cushion puts him well clear of a chasing pack that includes Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele, Sam Stevens and Tom Kim, all sitting at three under. Collin Morikawa's brilliant second-round 65 moved him to two under and into the conversation.
Clark's morning proved trickier than his overnight lead suggested. After resuming Thursday's suspended first round Friday morning, his four-shot advantage was halved before he steadied the ship. He battled through missed birdie opportunities on the back nine but responded with consecutive long putts, sinking a 29-footer at 13 and a 33-footer at 18 to restore his commanding position.
"I really felt like I could be in double digits," Clark said. "I turned not my best golf into a good day."
History favors Clark's position. Only four players have carried a larger 36-hole lead at the US Open, and all four went on to win: Willie Anderson in 1903, Tiger Woods in 2000, Rory McIlroy in 2011 and Martin Kaymer in 2014. Yet Shinnecock's notorious character offers no guarantees.
The 32-year-old's path to redemption runs parallel to his recent struggles. Twelve months ago, Clark left Oakmont embroiled in controversy after damaging a locker following a missed cut, leading the club to ban him from its grounds unless he paid for repairs and completed anger-management sessions. The incident followed another club-throwing episode at the PGA Championship weeks earlier.
"I've gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so," Clark said. "That's not who I am. I'm hoping I can win back the fans that I had or some new fans because it was a terrible incident."
His form collapsed alongside his reputation. After winning the US Open and Wells Fargo Championship in 2023 plus Pebble Beach in 2024, Clark arrived at Shinnecock searching for consistency and desperately needing a result to revive his Ryder Cup credentials. A second US Open title would represent a stunning turnaround.
The weekend chase remains formidable. Fitzpatrick, the 2022 champion, posted a 70 to stay three shots back, while Schauffele surged with a 66. Morikawa's ascent proved particularly dramatic, climbing nine shots in a single day. That matched the largest first-round deficit ever overcome by a US Open champion, achieved by Jack Fleck at Olympic Club in 1955.
World No 2 Rory McIlroy found the weekend within reach at even par after a tumultuous back nine. Early birdies at the 5th and 8th climbed him toward contention before three straight bogeys and a double-bogey at 15 dropped him seven shots behind.
"The back nine was a bit of a battle," McIlroy said. "I still feel like I'm in the tournament and in with a decent chance."
His sentiment reflected Shinnecock's unpredictability. Dustin Johnson crashed from contention after a quadruple-bogey eight at 15 derailed his day. Bryson DeChambeau, the two-time defending champion, missed the cut at four over, marking his first miss in three consecutive majors. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler scraped through at even par after a grinding 68.
Joaquin Niemann staged perhaps the day's most improbable recovery. The Chilean incurred a two-shot unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty for throwing his club during a disastrous 11 on Friday morning, yet answered with a five-birdie rampage through the back nine for a 65. He made the cut at three over, becoming the first player in 97 years to advance from a US Open after carding a 10 or worse in an opening round.
Shinnecock's poa annua greens are expected to firm considerably over the weekend as the USGA's careful watering regimen concludes. Winds exceeding 30 mph could complicate matters further on the treeless Long Island layout. For Clark, the hardest work may still lie ahead.
Author James Rodriguez: "Clark's four-shot lead is real, but Shinnecock doesn't care about margins."
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