Wyndham Clark survived a hostile Shinnecock Hills crowd, repaired a Sunday wobble, and closed with a 3-over 73 to win his second U.S. Open—topping Sam Burns by one after finishing 4-under for the week.
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Sunday at Shinnecock Hills felt like it might tip over at any moment. the noise growing louder with every miss and every chance that slipped away. Wyndham Clark had to fight his way through it all again: the jeers. the pressure. the tight margins of a U.S. Open finale where one loose moment can erase an entire week.
He did what he had been doing for all 72 holes—lock into his process, block out the crowd, and grind. As the sun set behind a cloud on a perfect summer night in the Hamptons, Clark became a major champion again.
“The first one was amazing, and this one seems even better,” Clark said.
Clark, who also won the U.S. Open in 2023, finished 4-under for the week after shooting a 3-over 73 on Sunday. He topped Sam Burns by one to become just the ninth true wire-to-wire winner in championship history. It took Clark only six starts at the U.S. Open to win the trophy twice—the third-quickest number of starts in history.
For most of the day, it looked almost inevitable. Clark was steady through the first 54 holes and raced out to a six-shot advantage heading into the final round. But the pressure finally found a crack. He bogeyed two of his first five holes. and he didn’t record a birdie until the par-4 10th. where he clipped a wedge to just four feet.
He gave the momentum back briefly—bogeying No. 13—before Burns started moving. Burns had made four birdies on his front side, and he pulled within striking distance as Clark’s cushion faded.
Burns, however, couldn’t carry it home. He made a “silly bogey” on No. 15 after missing a four-footer there. He got that back with a birdie on the next hole, but he missed two makeable birdie tries on Nos. 17 and 18 and finished just short.
Still, Burns’ week carried the unmistakable feel of a player arriving late to the biggest moments. He has become a bit of a U.S. Open specialist of late, going T9-T7-2 in his last three starts at the major. He is the only player to finish inside the top 10 in each of those three years.
“I think to start the day seven shots back. I knew it was going to take something really special. and I think I couldn’t have asked for a better start. ” Burns said. “Then to have the chance on 18, I really thought I made that putt. I hit it exactly how I wanted with the speed I wanted and just didn’t go in. but really proud of the way we played today.”.
Clark kept the door open late, too. He missed a six-foot par attempt on the penultimate hole. but on the closing stretch he returned to the kind of finish that wins major titles. He landed his approach about 60 feet away on the final hole and then nestled his first putt up to just inches to lock up the championship.
The celebration didn’t come in a flash—it took its time. On No. 18, Clark embraced friends and family, including his father, who flew in overnight from Denver to be there and surprise him. Clark said he had never had his father present for a win before.
“He’s never been there to see me win. Not only that, to finally have him there for a win is amazing, but especially on Father’s Day,” Clark said. “I know in (2023) it was obviously a great Father’s Day present for him. but I know he wanted to be there here in person. So. for him to surprise me was amazing. and so I can’t wait to spend more time with my dad tonight and celebrating this. because it’s not just my win. It’s my team.”.
For all the triumph, it was also impossible not to notice how poorly some of the fans treated him through Sunday’s winning march.
“They definitely didn’t want me to win,” Clark said. “It’s pretty rare in a (U.S. Open) or major to have fans kind of boo against your shots or cheer for bad shots.”
Part of the tension has history behind it. Clark smashed a locker at Oakmont Country Club last year after missing the cut, and he also struck a sponsor sign at the PGA Championship the month prior. Still, he seemed comfortable leaning into the antagonist role.
“I sure hope (this win) closes the door on (the locker-room incident). I figured in my mind that this would maybe be the last time just because it’s one year removed. I’ll probably always get them, but I hope I don’t become the heel of the (PGA Tour),” Clark said. “I guess if I am, any press is good press, right?”.
What made Sunday sharper was the pairing. Clark was in the final group with Scottie Scheffler, who was trying to complete the career grand slam for the first time.
Scheffler—alongside Rory McIlroy. who completed it last April—is viewed as the closest thing golf has to Tiger Woods in terms of results and greatness. Everyone at Shinnecock Hills was cheering for something special. But on a birthday that carried extra attention, it was Clark who stood in the way. Even Ted Scott. who has been on the PGA Tour for decades and has caddied Scheffler to 20 PGA Tour titles. acknowledged that nobody was really pulling for Clark through the finale. while also saying Clark’s ability to battle and win was impressive.
“… I think it shows a lot about Wyndham, how he handled not only this golf course but I think the crowd today as well and is a well-deserving champion,” Scheffler said. Scheffler finished tied for fourth after shooting a 1-over 71 on Sunday.
Scheffler’s effort extended a remarkable recent run: it was his 17th top-10 finish in his last 22 major starts. The only other golfers to have that kind of stretch are Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
But this week belonged to Clark. and he treated it like his own moment—settling into a final round that. despite the noise. stayed true to the work he had been doing all week. Through the tournament, he was 14th in strokes gained: off the tee and fourth in strokes gained: putting. He put himself in good positions almost better than anyone and converted opportunities at U.S. Open venues known for making conversion hard.
The last time Clark won was in California, and the USGA celebrated with Screaming Eagle cabernet sauvignon, an item that averages costs thousands of dollars. He’s hoping for more of the same next time he opens the bottle.
A hard week. A tough battle. And a winner who may not have been everyone’s favorite, but was the one who proved it from start to finish.
“I think winning something the second time,” Clark said, “I think you really appreciate what you did the previous time and how difficult it is.”
Wyndham Clark U.S. Open Shinnecock Hills Sam Burns Scottie Scheffler golf major championship Father’s Day PGA Tour