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Heading into Sunday’s final round at Shinnecock Hills, Wyndham Clark holds a commanding six-shot lead. It’s never over until it’s over, especially at a U.S. Open with Scottie Scheffler in pursuit, but if Clark prevails he would become just the third golfer ever to achieve this rare piece of golf history. We’ll let golf’s resident stat man Justin Ray explain.
RELATED: Wyndham Clark will face a different kind of pressure as he tries to claim another major
Being mentioned in the same breath as Tiger Woods and Billy Casper is no mean feat, and Clark could join them as co-owners of this niche achievement come Sunday evening. At first glance, that may seem more like a matter of luck than skill, but only two golfers have ever accomplished this feat for several reasons:
RELATED: Wyndham Clark calls lack of crowd, flat energy at Shinnecock 'unfortunate'
In 2023, Clark won the U.S. Open at LACC, California Dreamin’ through his final round. Now at Shinnecock, he’ll try to tap into that Empire State of Mind. Unlike at LACC, however, he’ll have another little piece of golf history on his side. As Ray also explains, of the 13 players to hold a six-shot lead or better heading into the final round of a major since 1934, 12 have prevailed. The only who outlier? Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters. Even though Clark shares some of the maverick energy that ultimately doomed Norman, those sound like pretty good odds to us.
MORE GOLF DIGEST U.S. OPEN COVERAGE
U.S. Open 101: Answering all your frequently asked questions
How to watch the 2026 U.S. Open
Power Rankings: Every player in the U.S. Open field, ranked
Here’s the record prize money payout for each golfer at the U.S. Open
Video: Every hole at Shinnecock Hills
Why can't the USGA get Shinnecock Hills right? Our interactive guide explains
What’s a ‘good’ shot at Shinnecock? The difference between our editos and tour average
Breaking down Scottie Scheffler’s chances to complete the career Grand Slam
Every chip shot you’ll see at Shinnecock Hills, explained
Continue reading...
RELATED: Wyndham Clark will face a different kind of pressure as he tries to claim another major
Being mentioned in the same breath as Tiger Woods and Billy Casper is no mean feat, and Clark could join them as co-owners of this niche achievement come Sunday evening. At first glance, that may seem more like a matter of luck than skill, but only two golfers have ever accomplished this feat for several reasons:
- The opportunities are extremely limited.
- The changes in time zone, weather, terroir and fans create very different competitive conditions.
- U.S. Opens in California and New York take on added importance (and added pressure) due to the historic venues that play host in each state.
- Finally, winning two U.S. Opens is hard to do, no matter where they’re held.
RELATED: Wyndham Clark calls lack of crowd, flat energy at Shinnecock 'unfortunate'
In 2023, Clark won the U.S. Open at LACC, California Dreamin’ through his final round. Now at Shinnecock, he’ll try to tap into that Empire State of Mind. Unlike at LACC, however, he’ll have another little piece of golf history on his side. As Ray also explains, of the 13 players to hold a six-shot lead or better heading into the final round of a major since 1934, 12 have prevailed. The only who outlier? Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters. Even though Clark shares some of the maverick energy that ultimately doomed Norman, those sound like pretty good odds to us.
MORE GOLF DIGEST U.S. OPEN COVERAGE
U.S. Open 101: Answering all your frequently asked questions
How to watch the 2026 U.S. Open
Power Rankings: Every player in the U.S. Open field, ranked
Here’s the record prize money payout for each golfer at the U.S. Open
Video: Every hole at Shinnecock Hills
Why can't the USGA get Shinnecock Hills right? Our interactive guide explains
What’s a ‘good’ shot at Shinnecock? The difference between our editos and tour average
Breaking down Scottie Scheffler’s chances to complete the career Grand Slam
Every chip shot you’ll see at Shinnecock Hills, explained
Continue reading...
