Clark Leads by Four After 36 at Shinnecock Hills

Wyndham Clark spent his Friday afternoon watching the U.S. men's soccer team advance to the World Cup knockout round — and why not? Through 36 holes of the 126th U.S. Open, the defending champion owns a four-stroke lead.

His 7-under 133 — built on an opening 64 and a second-round 69 — set a Shinnecock Hills record. The 64 came despite a 4 a.m. wake-up call after Thursday's fog delay pushed his finish into Friday morning. He closed the day in style, draining a 33-footer for birdie on 18.

 

The chasers are formidable. Matt Fitzpatrick (2022 U.S. Open champion) and Xander Schauffele (two-time major winner) sit at 3 under, joined by Sam Stevens and qualifier Tom Kim. Collin Morikawa's second-round 65 — his best U.S. Open round in eight starts — leaves him five back. Rory McIlroy, and Scottie Scheffler, who needs the title to complete the career Grand Slam, are both at even par.

 

History does work against Clark: no 36-hole leader at the last four Shinnecock Opens has won the championship.

 

The cut came at 4-over 144, the lowest in Shinnecock Open history, with 67 professionals and five amateurs advancing. Notable casualties include two-time champion Brooks Koepka, 2021 champion Jon Rahm, two-time champion Bryson DeChambeau and defending champion J.J. Spaun.

 

WHAT'S NEXT

Round 3 will begin at 9 a.m. ET with all groups going off No. 1 in twosomes.

 

NOTABLE

• A player has held a 36-hole lead of exactly four strokes in the U.S. Open three times:
  • Tom McNamara, 1909 at Englewood GC, finished 2nd
  • Jim Barnes, 1921 at Columbia CC, won
  • Dustin Johnson, 2018 at Shinnecock Hills GC, finished 3rd

• Wyndham Clark’s total of 133 (-7) is the lowest ever through 36 holes in a U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills GC.

• Ryder Cowan (T-11) is the fifth amateur since 2000 to be among the Top 12after 36 holes in a U.S. Open, joining:

  • Cameron Champ, 2017,  T-8 after 36, finished T-32

  • Brian Campbell, 2017, T-8 after 36, finished T-27

  • Beau Hossler, 2012, T-9 after 36, finished T-29

  • Nick Taylor, 2009, T-7 after 36, finished T-36

• Scottie Scheffler, who snapped a 10-round streak of not breaking par at the U.S. Open today with a 68 (-2), jumped up 38 spots from T-49 at the end of round 1 to T-11 at the end of round 2.  It is the largest leaderboard jump from round 1 to round 2 in his major championship career.  

• The two players with the longest active streaks of making the cut at the U.S. Open (Brooks Koepka-11 straight and Harris English-10 straight) both missed the cut this week.  The longest active streaks now belong to Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama, both now at 10.