US Open, round three leaderboard
Leader: -7 W Clark (US); -1 S Scheffler (US), S Theegala (US), T Kim (Kor), S Stevens (US)
Selected: Level 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 R MacIntyre (Sco)
In a third round that saw challengers rise but ultimately fall away, Wyndham Clark stood firm to position himself as the overwhelming favourite to win a second US Open title.
Not only did the American fail to budge from the top of the pile, the 32-year-old extended his lead from four to six strokes as he looks to become the first wire-to-wire winner of the tournament since Martin Kaymer in 2014.
Clark delivered a masterclass in scrambling at Shinnecock Hills before signing for a level-par 70 that gives him a commanding advantage heading into Sunday’s final round.
Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim and Sam Stevens are among a quartet at one under but ominously for Clark, so too is Scottie Scheffler, who arguably represents the biggest danger to him repeating his triumph at the Los Angeles Country Club, in 2023.
A shot further back and all but out of contention are Americans Sam Burns and Xander Schauffele, while Collin Morikawa and England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are at one over.
But it is the presence of world number one Scheffler that will concern Clark the most, even if there has only been one occasion since the first Masters in 1934 that a six-shot lead has been overturned in the final round of a major championship – when Greg Norman faded and Nick Faldo claimed his third Masters title in 1996.
“I feel good. I have got more and more comfortable every time I have got in these positions,” said Clark.
“Scottie is the best player in the world, and he’s probably going to play really good. He always does, but it’s nice to have a six-shot lead on him.
“I’m just going to keep approaching it the same way. If I go through my process and hit the shots I know I can hit, I like my chances.”