Wyndham Clark Wins the 2023 U.S. Open for His First Major Title
LOS ANGELES — With a pressure-packed round of even par, Wyndham Clark became a first-time major champion on Sunday with a win at the U.S. Open.
The 29-year-old Colorado native held on down the stretch, rebounding from back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 15 and 16 with two pars to win at 10 under par, one shot ahead of Rory McIlroy and three in front of Scottie Scheffler.
For McIlroy, this U.S. Open was another agonizing result in his nine-year run without a major title. He birdied the first hole Sunday but he wouldn't make another one. He tied for first in greens in regulation on Sunday (and was No. 1 for the tournament) but was 57th in strokes-gained putting for the round, losing two shots to the field. Those two shots proved the difference.
Clark and Rickie Fowler began the day tied for the lead at 10 under. Fowler had three bogeys in his first seven holes and was never a factor.
Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking and SI World Golf Rankings, began the day three back but two bogeys early in the back nine ended his hopes.
Cameron Smith, the 2022 British Open champion, shot a Sunday 67 to finish fourth while Tommy Fleetwood shot another final-round 63 in a U.S. Open to finish in a tie for fifth.
Clark's final birdie came at the par-5 14th when he hit a terrific fairway wood onto the green and two-putted, giving him a three-shot lead.
Clark won for the first time on the PGA Tour just last month at the Wells Fargo Championship, an elevated event that he said gave him the confidence to contend this week.
He's the fifth straight player to become a first-time major champion at the U.S. Open.
The week began with Fowler and Xander Schauffele shooting opening-round 62s, the lowest in U.S. Open history. Fowler finished tied for fifth and Schauffele tied for 10th.