Sunday, June 21, 2026

Second Wynd: Clark Hangs on for 1-Shot Win at Shinnecock Hills

Wyndham Clark completed a wire-to-wire victory Sunday at Shinnecock Hills, becoming just the ninth player to lead after every round of a U.S. Open and the first since Martin Kaymer in 2014.


The 2023 champion closed with a 3-over 73 to finish at 4-under 276, edging Sam Burns by one stroke for his second U.S. Open title. Tom Kim, a qualifier who entered the week ranked No. 141 in the Official World Golf Ranking, finished third at 1-under 279.


Despite carrying a six-shot lead into the final round and playing alongside world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Clark never relinquished control. Three bogeys in his first seven holes allowed Burns to mount a charge, but Clark’s short game repeatedly bailed him out. He sealed the victory with a two-putt par from 52 feet on the 72nd hole.

 

“The first one was kind of just the breakthrough of knowing I can do it, and then this one was a lot of redemption,” Clark said. “Last year was so tough. …It's amazing what a year can do.”

 

Burns fired a final-round 67 after starting seven shots back, while Scheffler, seeking the career Grand Slam on his 30th birthday, struggled to gain momentum and shot even-par 70 to finish four back.

 

Clark led the field with five putts made from beyond 20 feet and delivered a pivotal 25-foot birdie on the par-5 16th. He became the 24th multi-time U.S. Open champion and matched Retief Goosen’s Shinnecock Hills scoring record of 4-under.

 

Notable

 

  • Wyndham Clark entered this week as the No. 34 ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings. This year marks fourth year in a row that a player ranked outside the Top 20 has won: Wyndham Clark (#32 in 2023), Bryson DeChambeau (#38 in 2024) and J.J. Spaun (#25 in 2025).

  • Clark is just the second player, since the inception of the OWGR in 1986, to win the U.S. Open twice while being ranked outside the top 30 both times.  Lee Janzen is the other (#36 in 1993 and #41 in 1998).

  • Wyndham Clark is the ninth true wire-to-wire winner of a U.S. Open (outright leader after all four rounds)


  • Fewest starts to win two U.S. Opens:

  • The final round scoring on Sunday was 71.389, which is the third-lowest final round in U.S. Open history behind 2019 at Pebble Beach (71.190) and 2015 at Chambers Bay (1.293). It was the lowest scoring average in the history of the U.S. Opens played at Shinnecock Hills GC (22 rounds)
  • Keith Mitchell has become the first player in U.S. Open history to post four rounds of even par.

  • Jackson Koivun's 68 is the lowest final round by an amateur in the U.S. Open since Viktor Hovland shot 67 (-4) in 2019 in the final round at Pebble Beach (finishing T-12).  Koivun is the first amateur to break 70 in the final round in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills GC.  The previous low was 73, by Sam Randolph in 1986.

  • Sam Burns was the runner-up this year after finishing T-9 at Pinehurst in 2024 and T-7 at Oakmont CC last year.  He is the only player to finish among the Top 10 each of the last three years.

  • Scottie Scheffler finished in a tie for fourth this week. It marks his 17th Top 10 over his last 22 major championship starts!  The only other players to do that since 1950 are Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

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