Wyndham Clark remains in front at US Open, but big names are in pursuit
SHINNECOCK HILLS, N.Y. - Former champion Wyndham Clark remained on top of a stacked leaderboard after the second round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, but he is being stalked by a number of major winners.
Rory McIlroy looked like the man to challenge Clark's 7-under total, but after missing a 6-footer at the ninth hole, which would have moved him to within three, a chaotic back nine saw him shoot 71 and finish the day seven behind.
Considering the difficulty of the venue, the Northern Irishman is by no means out of it.
"If there's a course where you feel like you still have a chance if you're seven back going into the weekend like I am, it's definitely this one," McIlroy said. "I know that everyone else in the field is going to make bogeys, so if I can limit my mistakes and pick off a few birdies here and there, hole a couple more 20- to 25-footers than other guys, that's really the strategy."
Matt Fitzpatrick (one major) and Xander Schauffele (two) ended the day closest, four shots back with Tom Kim and the unheralded Sam Stevens, while two-time major winners Collin Morikawa (65) and Justin Thomas (68) were at two under and one under respectively.
Six-time major winner and holder of the career grand slam, McIlroy is tied for 10th at even par with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (68), chasing his own grand slam.
But Clark, who a year ago trashed a locker in the historic Oakmont clubhouse after missing the cut at the event he won in 2023, is the man to catch.
Fast forward 12 months and the Shinnecock facilities manager could rest easy as Clark sat pretty after a one-under round of 69.
"I've gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so," Clark said. "The thing that's unfortunate is that's not who I am, what happened last year.
"I'm hoping I can win back the fans that I had or some new fans because it was a terrible incident.
"I really feel like I can show people that I'm fun and outgoing, I'm fierce, competitive, love the game, respect the game, and I just had a bad moment."
Dustin Johnson, 2016 champion, rolled back the years with a first-round 66 but then dropped eight strokes in five holes after the turn to finish three over.
Gary Woodland, who won this title at Pebble Beach in 2019, hung on for even par after carding six bogeys.
Fitzpatrick shot an even-par 70 to sit at 3 under alongside Schauffele (66), and he was reasonably happy with after an early alarm call to finish his delayed first round and post a 67.
"I cut a lot off the routine, to be honest, but it was 4 a.m. for me this morning," said Fitzpatrick, who has won twice on the PGA Tour this season.
"I can't complain - I play golf for a living - (but) it wasn't very enjoyable, I know that."
At the conclusion of the first round Joaquin Niemann was given a two-stroke penalty for throwing a club on the par-4 sixth hole, deemed "serious misconduct" under rule 1.2b, and the first significant punishment under the newly-introduced code of conduct regulations.
The Chilean's score for that hole, where he drove out of bounds twice, was recorded as an 11 and he signed for an eight-over 78.
Two-time major winner Jon Rahm started the second round four off the lead at 2 under, but after 21 holes without a bogey he had seven and a double over his next 13 to miss the cut at 6 over.
Bryson DeChambeau missed his third consecutive major cut after a 75 left him five over. Defending champion JJ Spaun went out at 8 over, and Brooks Koepka, winner here in 2018, 10 over.
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