Wyndham Clark won the US Open, the third major of the 2026 season, to claim the second major of his career. He joined a small group of players who have won the US Open more than once when he claimed victory at Shinnecock Hills to add to his 2023 US Open triumph at LA Country Club.
Clark, who is 32, led the tournament from start to finish, becoming the first wire-to-wire champion since Germany’s Martin Kaymer back in 2014. The Denver-born ace prevailed by just a single shot in the end, his score of four under par just about good enough to see off compatriot Sam Burns, who finished a shot back.
It was a fairly typical US Open in that just three players finished the right side of par, with Korea’s Tom Kim on -1. World number one Scottie Scheffler, who was looking to join Rory McIlroy and other legends of the game in completing a career Grand Slam, was one of three players to end the tournament on level par.
Scheffler, who has now stood atop the rankings for over three years (and is approaching four years there overall over his career), was remarkably consistent. His rounds of 72-68-69-71 were impressive, but he was always battling tough conditions and did not have the luck of the draw.
Clark Makes Hay
Job = finished
Wyndham Clark is a two-time U.S. Open champion! pic.twitter.com/oHJrndsbtY
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 21, 2026
Shinnecock is located on Long Island. It is one of the oldest golf courses in America, dating back to 1891, and helped form the USGA. As a link course located on a thin island, the weather is always likely to be a factor, and it proved to be the case in 2026.
If Scheffler’s scoring over the four days showed little variation, the same cannot be said of the eventual champion’s. Clark’s round got progressively worse over the four days of the US Open, and there was a difference of nine shots between his opening and closing rounds. He shot 64-69-70-73, and he benefited from some kind weather early on in the tournament.
He was a deserved winner. At the end of the day, or more accurately, four days, whoever shoots the lowest total genuinely deserves to win, but that is not to deny that luck can play its part. Clark got lucky, especially on Thursday, but he had the skill to make it pay, and he certainly made hay while the sun shone.
Clark’s 64 was the lowest round of the tournament. It was at least six shots better than anyone who finished better than T7 managed and put him in a commanding position from the off. Early starters in the first round faced some of the toughest conditions of the whole week, with very bad fog and strong winds.
Those eased later in the day and although Clark was not the only player who benefited from easier conditions in the afternoon, he was certainly the one who made the most of them. A tournament is won over 72 holes, but the man who would go on to take the winner’s cheque for $4.5m went a long way to securing victory in just three late on Thursday.
A trio of threes from the 12th gave him two birdies and an eagle, and those four shots gained to par helped him come home in 32 on day one. He was one of 50 players unable to finish their rounds on Thursday due to bad light, thanks to a two-hour delay in play early on due to the fog. At the time play was suspended, he was six under through 16 and four shots clear.
He closed with pars on Friday morning and once the dust was fully settled on the first round, he was two clear of the field. At that stage, there were 18 players under par, with Dustin Johnson second, Matt Fitzpatrick joint-third (on three under), and Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aaberg and McIlroy among the chasing pack.
Extends Lead
Clark’s second round was five shots worse than his first, but again he had the better of the conditions, this time heading out early on day two (after completing his first round). His 69 enabled him to stretch his lead to four shots. After 36 holes, just 10 players were better than par.
The third round saw more of the same, with just about everyone suffering with tough conditions on the course. Only two players went under par on Saturday but Clark’s impressive 70, a mixed bag that included four bogeys, two birdies and an eagle, allowed him to stretch his advantage to six shots.
Just Enough to Become a Multiple US Open Champion
On Sunday, scoring was tough once more, and while more players managed to produce a round in the 60s, Clark’s 73 was just about good enough to get him over the line. Burns shot a brilliant 67 to claim second and take home over $2.4m, with Tyrrell Hatton producing the same score to finish as top European on one over.
Clark is not the most popular player in the world after some recent histrionics and angry outbursts. However, he put that and jeers to one side to join the likes of Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Lee Trevino, and Ernie Els on two US Open wins. One more and he will match Tiger Woods, with two more needed to join Jack Nicklaus and others as the most successful players in US Open history.