Wyndham Clark Captures Second U.S. Open Title In Four Years After Surviving Brutal Fan Heckling At Shinnecock
Wyndham Clark survived a tense final round and relentless heckling from fans to win his second U.S. Open championship in four years, edging Sam Burns by one stroke at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Sunday.
Entering the final round with a commanding six-shot lead, Clark appeared to be on the verge of an epic collapse as he struggled throughout the day and carded a 3-over round. However, he did just enough to finish at 4-under for the tournament and secure another major championship.
The victory makes Clark the first wire-to-wire U.S. Open winner since Martin Kaymer accomplished the feat in 2014.
The atmosphere around Clark was hostile from the outset. Fans repeatedly shouted “Get in the bunker” after tee shots and taunted him with cries of “Don’t choke,” with some spectators reportedly being ejected.
Clark’s reputation as a villain among some golf fans intensified following his locker-bashing incident at last year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, and the Shinnecock crowd made little effort to hide its preference for Burns.
After a shaky front nine in which he shot 3-over par, Clark managed several key moments to keep his lead intact, including a crucial par save on the fourth hole and a birdie on the 10th.
Meanwhile, Burns mounted a dramatic charge. The 29-year-old made four birdies on the front nine and briefly appeared capable of authoring one of the greatest comebacks in tournament history.
A seven-shot comeback would have tied Arnold Palmer for the largest final-round rally in U.S. Open history. Instead, Burns came agonizingly short as his putt on the 18th hole rolled to the edge of the cup but failed to drop.
After the near miss, Burns fell to his knees and tossed his putter in frustration.
Clark delivered the decisive moment on the 16th hole, sinking a 24-foot birdie putt and unleashing a fist pump as his lead expanded. He then bogeyed the 17th before safely two-putting for par on the 18th to seal the victory.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler also entered the final round as a potential challenger, seeking to complete the career Grand Slam on his birthday and Father’s Day. However, Scheffler failed to generate enough momentum and was unable to seriously threaten Clark’s lead.
The victory marks Clark’s second U.S. Open championship and further cements his connection to the tournament. After firing an opening-round 64 on Thursday to seize control of the event, Clark never relinquished the lead, surviving a dramatic Sunday finish to once again lift the trophy.