by Wyndham Clark started Sunday tied for the lead and finished as the US Open champion.
Clark withstood a strong challenge from one of the world’s greatest golfers, Rory McIlroy, to win the first major championship of his career at the Los Angeles Country Club.
Clark previously missed the cut at the other two US Open tournaments he played. He finished tied for 75th at the 2021 PGA Championship and tied for 76th at The Open Championship last year.
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Wyndham Clark reacts after missing a putt on the seventh hole during the final round of the US Open golf tournament at the Los Angeles Country Club on Sunday, June 18, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
It was Clark’s second tournament win of the season. He won the Wells Fargo Championship in May, beating Xander Schauffele by four shots. He lost the 2020 Bermuda Championship in a tiebreaker against Brian Gay.
With just one shot up at 18, Clark had a decent approach on his tee shot. He made the green on his second, and on his third, he got within a few feet of the cup. He would save the pair and the festivities would begin.
Clark was 10 under par in the tournament.
McIlroy trailed Clark throughout the fourth round, but a crucial shot in the 14th gave Clark some distance. McIlroy hit a shot into the rough part of the bunker and was awarded a free kick. He had a chance to save par, but missed a putt and missed two shots behind Clark. He was McIlroy’s first bogey.
Clark’s tee shot at 14 landed on the green. He birdied the hole and was three shots ahead of McIlroy as the two leaders came down the stretch.
Clark got stuck on the ninth hole early in the round, but managed to save par and hold a one-stroke lead over McIlroy heading to the back nine. He would bogey 15, which kept the door open for McIlroy, just in case.
He bogeyed the 16th hole and McIlroy parred the 17th to stay within a stroke of the lead. McIlroy nearly birdied on 18, but eventually made par. He had a birdie and a bogey for a final round 70. He finished 9 under par in the tournament.
Rory McIlroy reacts after missing a putt on the first hole during the final round of the US Open golf tournament at the Los Angeles Country Club on Sunday, June 18, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio J. Sánchez)
GORDON SARGENT WRAPS FIRST APPEARANCE AT US OPEN WITH UNUSUAL TROUBLE PUTTING ON 18
Rickie Fowler began the US Open with a tournament record 62 and was with the leaders for the remainder of the tournament. His 68 in round 2 and 70 in round 3 had him tied to start the final round, but he ended up catching up as he tried to challenge McIlroy for second. Four bogeys on the back nine hurt his chances of finishing in second place. He finished 5 under par for the tournament.
Fowler finished tied for second at the US Open in 2014.
Scottie Scheffler was racing on top. He finished 7 under 70 in the final round. He had three birdies in his final round, but it was the three bogeys that really hurt him over the course of the last 18 holes.
Tommy Fleetwood had an amazing run in the final round. He shot 63 in the fourth round and moved up 32 spots as he waited for the rest of the leaders to return to the clubhouse. The Englishman was runner-up at the US Open in 2018. He was also runner-up at the 2019 Open Championship. He still doesn’t have a major championship to his credit, but things seem to be looking up for him.
Wyndham Clark of the United States reacts to his putt on the 13th green during the final round of the 123rd US Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club on June 18, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Andres Redington/Getty Images)
Min Woo Lee finished with a 67 in the fourth round to end the US Open. He was making only his second career US Open appearance and finished tied with Fleetwood at five under par.
Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Bryson DeChambeau were among those who lost their lead over the course of the tournament. Rahm was 3 under par in the tournament. Morikawa was 2 under, Koepka and Fitzpatrick were 1 under and DeChambeau was 1 up.
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The Open Championship is the last major of the golf season. The tournament begins on July 20.
