Open Champion Clark
Wyndham Clark Avoids Historic Collapse to Secure Second U.S. Open Title in Four Years
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Wyndham Clark won the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Sunday, June 21, finishing at 4-under-par to claim his second major title in four years. Johnson City Press reported that Clark held on by a single stroke over runner-up Sam Burns, narrowly avoiding what would have been one of the greatest collapses in U.S. Open history.
Clark, ranked 34th in the world, entered the final round with a six-shot lead but watched it shrink to one shot after just five holes. He steadied himself down the stretch, birdieing the par-5 16th to seal the win. After the round, Clark told the crowd: "New York really didn't like me... but I get it. Some of it is self-deserved."
A Six-Shot Lead Nearly Vanishes in Five Holes
Clark teed off Sunday afternoon with a commanding cushion. By the time he reached the fifth hole, that lead had shrunk to just one shot. He carded a 38 on the front nine — a shaky stretch that put the entire tournament in doubt. Sam Burns, playing three groups ahead, was on a tear, firing a final-round 67 that put him at 3-under for the tournament.
Burns made a birdie on the 16th to pile on the pressure. Then, on the 18th, his final putt to tie the lead missed by what ClickOnDetroit described as "a half-inch." Burns said afterward, "I really thought I made that putt... It's unfortunate I just came up one short."
Clark's Clutch Birdie on 16 Saves the Title
The turning point came on the par-5 16th hole. Clark pulled his drive into heavy rough. From there, he hit an 8-iron approach to 25 feet and drained the birdie putt to push his lead back to two shots. The Irish Times called it a "brave" recovery that swung the tournament back in his favor.
Clark then three-putted the 17th for a bogey, tightening things again. On 18, he hit the green and two-putted from 52 feet to finish with a final-round 73 — the highest score by a U.S. Open champion since Graeme McDowell shot 74 in 2010, according to NBC Sports. Clark's winner's share: $4.5 million of a record $22.5 million purse.
A Hostile Crowd and the Shadow of Past Controversies
The Shinnecock Hills gallery never warmed to Clark. Fans shouted "bad day to be a locker" at him throughout the round — a reference to the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, where Clark reportedly damaged two lockers after missing the cut. Police removed several hecklers, Golf Channel reported. Sports Illustrated called the crowd behavior "nothing short of a disgrace."
Clark also drew scrutiny after a club-tossing incident at the 2025 PGA Championship. Those episodes made him the tournament's "pantomime villain," according to The Irish Times. But Clark owned it. He said Friday he hoped to "win fans back" and focused on, in his words, "replacing the negative with the positive."
Wire-to-Wire Win Raises Questions About USGA Setup
Clark is the first wire-to-wire U.S. Open winner since Martin Kaymer in 2014. He opened with a 6-under 64 on Thursday after drawing an early tee time in calmer wind and softer conditions. The USGA later acknowledged the setup gave early starters an advantage before the wind picked up, according to Golf Channel.
Only three players finished under par for the week on a course that played 7,440 yards at par 70. Final standings: Clark (-4), Burns (-3), Tom Kim (-1), with Scottie Scheffler finishing even par in a tie for fourth. Scheffler, chasing the career Grand Slam on his 30th birthday — also Father's Day — never mounted a Sunday charge, per People.
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