Wyndham Clark survived a dramatic final-round fade at the 2026 US Open, holding off a charging Sam Burns and steady pressure from Scottie Scheffler to claim a gritty one-shot victory at Shinnecock Hills.
Wyndham Clark’s second US Open title was anything but comfortable.
What began as a seemingly unassailable march to victory at Shinnecock Hills quickly turned into a survival test on Sunday, as Clark’s six-shot overnight lead evaporated under pressure before he held on for a one-shot win.
The American had dominated the opening three rounds and still stood six clear at the start of the final day. But the US Open has a habit of humbling even the most commanding positions, and within a handful of holes that cushion was gone.
Clark struggled early, missing fairways and finding himself scrambling just to stay in front. His lead, once six, was down to a single shot after just five holes, and suddenly the question wasn’t how much he would win by, but whether he could win at all.
Sam Burns was the man applying the heat.
Starting seven shots back, Burns produced a brilliant closing round of 67, steadily climbing the leaderboard and threatening to complete one of the great US Open comebacks. As Clark faltered through the middle of the round, Burns’ name kept edging closer, and the prospect of a playoff began to feel very real.
Scottie Scheffler, playing alongside Clark in the final group, added a different kind of pressure. The world No.1 never quite mounted a full charge, but his presence and the crowd support behind him meant Clark was never able to settle. In fact, the New York gallery made their preference clear throughout the day.
“Man, they definitely didn’t want me to win,” Clark admitted afterwards, having played much of the round in front of a pro-Scheffler, and often anti-Clark, crowd.
The defining stretch came late, with Clark’s championship hanging in the balance.
After battling to steady himself, he produced one of the shots of the tournament on the par-5 16th. Following an errant drive and a scrappy recovery, Clark somehow found the green and then rolled in a long birdie putt, a moment that briefly restored breathing room and pushed him two shots clear with two holes to play.
Because just one hole later, the nerves returned. A three-putt bogey on 17 brought Burns right back into it, and everything came down to the final hole.
Behind him, Burns still had chances. He narrowly missed a birdie putt on the 18th that would have forced a playoff, his charge ultimately falling just short despite a remarkable final round.
Up ahead, Clark faced his own examination.
Standing on the 72nd green with a one-shot lead, he needed composure more than brilliance. From long range, he lagged his first putt to within tap-in distance; a clutch, no-nonsense play under immense pressure. Moments later, he calmly rolled in the short par putt to seal a 4-under total and a one-shot victory.
“New York didn’t really like me, I love you guys,” he said. “But I get it… I did some unfortunate things last year that I really regret… hopefully I can win you guys over eventually.”
For Australian fans, the 2026 US Open offered little to cheer.
A host of big names, including Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee and Lucas Herbert, all missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills, leaving the tournament without Australian representation for the final two rounds.
It continued a frustrating run in recent US Opens, with the brutal conditions at Shinnecock once again exposing even the world’s best and leaving the Aussie contingent on the outside looking in.