Scheffler moves but the US Open will be lost to Clark

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Scheffler moves but the US Open will be lost to Clark

US Open, three-round leaderboard

Leader: -7 W Clark (US); -1 Scheffler (US), S Theegala (US), T Kim (Kor), S Stevens (US)

Selected: Standard X Schauffele (US); +1 T Fleetwood (Eng), C Morikawa (US), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); +2 A Fitzpatrick (Eng); +3 R McIlroy (NI), J Parry (Eng), A Rai (Eng); +4 J Rose (Eng), T Hatton (Eng); +7 IR MacIntyre (Sco)

In the third round where opponents rose but eventually fell, Wyndham Clark stood strong to position himself as the heavy favorite to win a second US Open title.

Not only did he fail to come out on top, the 32-year-old extended his lead from four to six races as he looks set to become the first winner since Martin Kaymer in 2014.

Clark provided a masterclass in drawing at Shinnecock Hills before carding a level-par 70 that gave him a good chance going into Sunday’s final round.

Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim and Sam Stevens are among the quartet at one point but in a terrible way for Clark, as well as Scottie Scheffler, who represents a big risk for him to repeat his victory at the Los Angeles Country Club, in 2023.

Americans Sam Burns and Xander Schauffele will return, while England’s Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick will return.

But it is the presence of the world’s best Scheffler that will worry Clark the most, even if there has been only one instance since the first Masters in 1934 where six shots have been overturned in the final round of a major – when Greg Norman faded and Nick Faldo took his third Masters title in 1996.

“I feel good. I feel a lot more comfortable every time I get into these positions,” Clark said.

“Scottie is the best player in the world, and he’s probably going to play very well. He always does, but it’s nice to have six shots on him.

“I’m going to continue to approach it the same way. If I go through my routine and hit the shots I know how to hit, I like my chances.”

Scheffler ignites Grand Slam hopes at work

A huge deficit Scottie Scheffler overcame in the final round to take a five-stroke lead at the 2024 Players Championship. [Getty Images]

At the end of Friday’s delayed first round, Scheffler was tied for 49th after opening with a 72-over.

On Sunday, she will be the last couple out with Clark.

For all of Clark’s heroics on Saturday, and there were plenty, including a triple-eagle on the 16th and several escapes to get back to par, it will be another matter to see how his game stacks up with the world’s best player, figuratively breathing down his neck.

A formidable opponent in any situation, Scheffler will never lack for inspiration.

On the day he celebrates his 30th birthday, he has an outside chance of winning a fifth major title and joining an exclusive club of six other players to complete their career Grand Slam.

Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy have won a full set of major titles but Scheffler put himself back in the conversation with a one-under 69 in the third round.

“It would be special,” Scheffler said.

“This tournament means a lot to me. All I can do is go out and try to achieve. I have a chance to go out there and have a good round and give myself a chance to win this tournament.”

“We’ve been fighting hard for a couple of days and I’ve done a good job of keeping myself in contention. I’m going to need a really good round if I’m going to try to catch Wyndham.”

Scheffler’s score was deceptively good on a day with gusts of up to 40mph and ensured the greens were firmer and more dangerous.

Only one other player, Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo – who moved up to the Championship level after signing a three-under 67 – broke 70 points.

It took one hour and 50 minutes for the first birdie to be registered in the third round, one of only two of the combined 70 birdies played by the field in the opening two hours.

Scheffler’s performance was excellent considering the first two holes and his recovery came completely on the back nine.

A birdie on the 10th provided momentum but his entry on the 14th followed by an emotional outpouring signaled a change in momentum.

Continued birdies on the 15th and 16th helped him play the final nine holes in 32 shots, matching his lowest score of the week.

But Clark’s lead was by no means threatened.

Unseeded American Stevens found himself briefly within two of four shots under par but was one of several players whose challenge faded on the back nine.

Rory McIlroy was one. The Northern Irishman had a hat-trick of birdies from the fifth, one of which was an impressive 66-metre putt, but five bogeys in his closing nine holes dashed his title hopes.

Fitzpatrick’s hopes of adding to his 2022 US Open victory all but died due to a devastating run of three straight bogeys to start his round.

The often nervous Yorkshireman, playing in the last group with Clark, started four games back at 3 under but on the final hole his frustration showed after he chipped hard and chipped. It led to the fifth game of the round as he finished eighth without speed.

But even the underdogs know they’ll need to shoot down the stretch and hope Clark makes mistakes.

Perhaps they will take inspiration from the last US Open held at Shinnecock Hills when England’s Fleetwood shot 63 in the final round of 2018 as he came from six back to finish one behind champion Brooks Koepka.