U.s. Open: Wyndham Clark Takes Commanding Lead Into Final Round

Not moreover Shinnecock Hills and its strongest trial of nan week successful nan U.S. Open could lucifer nan toughness of Wyndham Clark connected Saturday.

Clark had a postulation of par saves astir nan move arsenic Scottie Scheffler was making a move and poured it connected pinch a fairway metallic to get wrong 4 feet for eagle connected nan par-five 16th for an even-par 70 that gave him a six-shot lead.

No 1 has mislaid much than a five-shot lead successful 125 erstwhile editions of golf’s toughest test. Greg Norman successful nan 1996 Masters is nan only subordinate to suffer a six-shot lead successful immoderate major.

Shinnecock Hills did its part, moreover aft nan strongest upwind subsided. Only 2 players collapsed par successful nan 3rd information — Emiliano Grillo successful 30 mph upwind earlier nan leaders teed off, and Scheffler pinch a 69.

Clark astir joined them. After each his awesome saves, he missed a five-foot par putt connected nan last spread and vanished astatine seven-under 203, nan lowest 54-hole people ever astatine Shinnecock Hills.

Now he has 1 much information to adhd different U.S. Open title to nan 1 he captured astatine Los Angeles Country Club successful 2023. At his broadside will beryllium Scheffler, nan No. 1 subordinate successful nan world, trying to move Sunday into a astir magical day.

Scottie Scheffler watches his changeable connected nan first spread during nan 3rd information of nan U.S. Open connected Saturday astatine Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

At liking for Scheffler is simply a chance — a agelong changeable astatine that — to complete nan profession Grand Slam, connected Father’s Day, which happens to beryllium his 30th birthday.

“There’s a batch of worldly going on,” Scheffler said pinch a grin successful his question and reply pinch NBC. “A typical day. The tourney intends a batch to me. Going to spell retired location and effort to do my champion and execute. I’ve been fighting for illustration heck each week to enactment successful this tournament.”

Scheffler, who fell 9 shots down pinch a brace of bogeys astatine nan start, changeable 32 connected nan backmost 9 by chipping successful from 65 feet connected nan 14th for nan commencement of 3 consecutive birdies. His 1 large lament was missing a 4-foot birdie putt connected nan last hole.

He moved into nan past group erstwhile Shinnecock Hills did a number connected everyone else.

Sam Stevens, who closed wrong 2 shots of Clark connected nan front, started nan backmost 9 pinch 3 consecutive bogeys and closed pinch six consecutive pars for a 72. Tom Kim dropped 2 shots astatine nan incorrect clip and changeable 72. Sahith Theegala had 1 birdie, 1 bogey and 16 pars for a 70. That usually useful astatine immoderate U.S. Open, peculiarly this one.

All of them were astatine one-under 209, leaving only 5 players nether par.