Wyndham Clark stepped onto the first tee at Shinnecock Hills on Saturday with a four-shot lead over the field, chasing his second US Open title three years after winning his first at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023.
Clark sits at 7-under par after rounds of 64 and 69, the lowest 36-hole score in the tournament’s history at Shinnecock. His opening round on Thursday set the tone — a 64 that gave him breathing room before a steady 69 on Friday maintained the gap heading into the weekend.
Four players are tied for second at 3-under: Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Stevens, and Tom Kim. None of them has been able to string back-to-back low rounds at a course that typically punishes mistakes severely and consistently.
Clark and Fitzpatrick were paired together for the final Saturday group, with a 3:45 PM ET tee time. The USGA uses these pairings to spotlight the top of the leaderboard, and it puts the pressure of visibility squarely on both players for the full back nine at one of golf’s most demanding venues.
Shinnecock Hills has historically been a course where leads evaporate. The rough is thick, the greens are fast, and the wind from the Atlantic shifts direction without warning. Clark’s four-shot cushion heading into Round 3 is significant but not comfortable at this venue. One bad session can wipe out a lead this size here, as past US Opens at Shinnecock have demonstrated.
Schauffele, the defending Olympic gold medalist, is the most dangerous chaser in the field. He won the PGA Championship in 2024 and has been one of the most consistent performers in major championships over the past two years. Fitzpatrick, who won the US Open at Brookline in 2022, knows what closing this tournament requires.
Clark showed on opening day at Shinnecock that his ball-striking is at its best level of the season. If he can maintain that discipline on a windy Saturday afternoon, his second major title becomes a realistic target rather than a distant possibility. The question is whether the course or the field catches him first.
Full television coverage of Round 3 runs on NBC and Peacock, with live streaming available throughout the day via the USGA digital platforms.
