American Wyndham Clark has established a commanding four-shot lead at the US Open, navigating the challenging Shinnecock Hills course in New York to reach seven-under par after two rounds. The defending champion, who secured his first major title in 2023, posted a second-round 69 to build on his impressive opening 64.
Among the chasing pack is England's Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open winner, who sits tied for second place at three-under par following a round of 70. He shares the position with Xander Schauffele, Tom Kim, and Sam Stevens. Clark's advantage was bolstered by a superb 33-foot birdie putt on the final hole of his second round, making him the first player to reach seven-under after 36 holes at a Shinnecock US Open.
The conditions at Shinnecock Hills have been a significant talking point, with gusting winds proving particularly difficult for many competitors. World number one Scottie Scheffler described the wind as the "biggest challenge," while Rory McIlroy noted that their "side of the draw played in the windiest conditions and the scores show that." Both players finished their second rounds on level par for the championship, seven shots behind Clark.
Clark was one of the players who benefited from a more favourable draw, playing his first round in calmer conditions on Thursday evening and his second round early on Friday. McIlroy, despite making two birdies in his opening eight holes, saw his momentum stall in the strengthening wind on his back nine. Scheffler also struggled, particularly with his putting, finding it difficult to judge speeds on the undulating greens amidst the strong gusts.
Clark, who publicly addressed an incident at Oakmont last year where he missed the cut and damaged a locker, expressed his desire to restore his reputation. "I've had a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so. The thing that's unfortunate is that's not who I am, what happened last year," he stated, hoping to win back fans and demonstrate his true character over the weekend.
Source: US Open