LOS ANGELES – Wyndham C. was the last golfer who met with the media following Saturday’s third day of the U.S. Open. He was still ecstatic about the birdie he made on 18 minutes earlier, even though it was near-dark.
He said he wanted to be part of the final group for Sunday’s round. Clark, who had won his first PGA Tour event a little over a month earlier at the Wells Fargo Championship was a relative unknowledgeable on the Los Angeles Country Club Leaderboard, which was stacked with stars such as Rickie McIlroy, Rory McIlroy, and Scottie Schaffler.
Clark was the one to win the U.S. Open, his first major title.
Clark, 29, displayed some serious mettle in the last 18-holes, breaking free from a 54 hole tie with Rickie fowler and taking a two-shot lead after only six holes.
Clark started with a birdie and then smashed approach shots at Nos. Then, he added two more birdies at Nos. 4 and 6, bringing his total to 12 under.
U.S. OPEN: Leaderboard | Photos
Fowler, who is a fan favorite, went in the opposite direction, and bogeyed Nos. After seven holes, Clark is five shots behind Fowler on Nos. 2, 5 and 7.
Then there was Rory McIlroy. McIlroy, who was looking to end a nine-year streak of major wins without a win, birdied his first hole to reach 10 under par and take a share in the lead this week for the first. He parred the following 12 holes.
Clark’s first problem came on the eighth green when his approach to the par-5 hole fell short of the green. He also found thick grass in the area near the green. He appeared to have completely missed the ball after taking a large cut on his third. It took him a fourth shot to escape, and his ball sailed across the green. He chipped on again and putted for bogey.
He found himself in thick sand again next to the green on 9, but made the par-putting to keep the lead. McIlroy was one shot behind him at the turn.
From there, it was a two man race with Clark on 11 under par and McIlroy on 10.
Clark was two shots ahead on the par-5 fourteenth. He hit his second shot into the green, leaving him with a twenty-footer to make eagle.
Three. Shot. Lead. @Wyndham_Clark extends his lead with a spectacular second shot at No. 14 leads to birdie #USOpen pic.twitter.com/eoEPd6yzsh
U.S. Open (@usopengolf). 19 June 2023
Then he two-putted for a birdie, bringing him to 12 under par and a three-shot advantage with four holes left.
Clark lost a shot on 15 and another one on 16, but held on to his one-shot advantage to the finish, winning his maiden major championship.
