Conners takes – Corey Conners shot a final-round 73 at Shinnecock Hills, finishing tied for 23rd—nine shots behind winner Wyndham Clark. Despite a productive week with his ball-striking, his putting cost him at key moments, leaving him with FedExCup points and a clear focus a
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Corey Conners walked off the final round knowing what he could feel all week: his ball-striking was good enough to put him in the mix. The problem was the other side of the scorecard, where the short putts didn’t fall.
Conners closed with a 73 on Sunday and finished nine shots behind eventual winner Wyndham Clark. He ended tied for 23rd, marking his 12th career top-25 finish at a major.
The margin between “close” and “content” became impossible to ignore once the putting numbers came in. At Shinnecock Hills, Conners ranked 67th in strokes gained: putting out of 72 golfers who made the cut.
He blamed the short misses plainly. Across the week, he missed six putts from inside of five feet and 15 putts inside of eight feet. After his round, he said the feel wasn’t quite there, even though he knew what the greens required.
“I just didn’t quite have the freedom (and) wasn’t hitting some with enough pace. ” Conners told Sportsnet after his round. “With these greens you have to give them a bit of a hit. and I was just a bit uncomfortable doing that at certain times. You can’t guide them in. You have to hit it solid and roll it in. I knew what I needed to do, I just couldn’t quite execute.”.
Still, Conners left the U.S. Open with something he could build on. His T23 was his best result in a major so far this season, and it came at a key time for his FedExCup push—an elevated championship that handed him valuable points.
“It was close to being a great week. Felt like I did a lot of things well, just wasn’t able to get on the runs you need (to win) and convert birdies,” Conners said.
There were stretches where the week looked like it might tip his way. Conners had it going at different points, including being in a share for the lead on Thursday. He said he couldn’t keep that momentum through all four rounds, but he never stopped emphasizing what worked when he struck the ball.
“Disappointed not to take advantage of my ball striking, but I can leave here knowing I can hit it well,” he said.
On Sunday. the day started with a tidy 12-foot par save. but the holes kept arriving faster than the putts could settle things down. He bogeyed No. 2, and then the putting issues surfaced again through a stretch that ultimately shaped the final score. Conners missed a 9-foot birdie try on No. 3, a 3-foot birdie attempt on No. 5, and another 3-footer for par on No. 7.
That was when you could see the frustration building. Conners was visibly frustrated with himself—and his putter.
He did manage to give himself a chance on the par-3 11th, but he missed a six-footer for birdie there. After that, he cleaned things up over his final few holes, steering himself toward the closing numbers with a 7-footer and a 6-footer for par on Nos. 17 and 18.
The week didn’t erase his confidence in his underlying game, either. He has admitted this year has been inconsistent. but he leaned into what he called a hallmark of his play: his ability to strike the ball. Even with the misses from short range, he framed the tournament as a reminder of what he can do.
Conners will cross the Long Island Sound for his next start at the Travelers Championship next week, the final event in a big four-tournament stretch for the Canadian.
“Lots of positives to take from this week on such a demanding venue,” Conners said. “I felt like I was striking it well all week and that is a hallmark of my game. I kept it simple and hit it solid. Definitely going to try to build on that.”
His attention then shifts to the last major of the year. The Open Championship runs July 16-19 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, the next major stage where Conners will be looking for those short putts to finally cooperate.
Corey Conners U.S. Open Shinnecock Hills Wyndham Clark Travelers Championship FedExCup putting struggles Royal Birkdale The Open Championship