Clark avoids record collapse, holds on to win US Open

Wyndham Clark almost blew up his six stroke lead at the US Open golf championships but managed to hold on to claim the title by a solitary stroke over a charging Sam Burns.

Two crucial putts from just outside 50 feet for par gave him a 3-over 73 and a one-shot victory over Burns. Clark, who won the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, became the first wire-to-wire winner of the US Open since Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014.

For a while, it looked like Clark had completely lost the chance of claiming the title. His lead was down to a single shot after just five holes and he had to battle not only the chasing field but also his fractured confidence.

Clark dug himself out of a disaster on the par-5 16th. He gouged that out and narrowly cleared a bunker. His 8-iron barely stayed on the back of the green. And he rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt that gave him a two-shot lead with two holes to play.

Clark had the highest final round of a U.S. Open champion since Graeme McDowell closed with a 74 to win at Pebble Beach. He finished at 4-under 276.

Burns closed with a 67, his second chance in as many years to win the US Open. He missed two birdie chances on the final two holes, but what hurt just as much was a three-putt bogey on the 15th when he was trying to catch Clark.

Grand Slam chasing Scottie Scheffler, in his first try to get the only major he hasn’t won, was three shots back when he rammed a 30-foot birdie putt some 6 feet on the 14th and three-putted for bogey and a 71.

Tom Kim, who, like Scheffler, celebrated a birthday on Sunday, was on the fringes of seriously contending until he fell back with a bogey on the 17th and shot 70 to finish third.

Rory McIlroy finished T32 with his bid to become seventh player to win the Masters and US Open in same year up in the smokes.

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