Wyndham Clark has taken command of the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, building a four-shot lead while Rory McIlroy remains close enough to keep the chase alive heading into the weekend.
Clark, the 2023 champion, moved to seven under par after completing a record-setting 36-hole start in Southampton, New York. The American’s opening 64 was reported as the best U.S. Open round ever shot at Shinnecock, before a second-round 69 left him clear of the field, according to AP’s latest U.S. Open report.
McIlroy Still Has a Route Back at Shinnecock
For ReadGolf readers, the story is not only Clark’s control of the leaderboard but the pressure it puts on the chasing pack. McIlroy’s opening 69 kept him in red figures on a course where history says survival can matter as much as fireworks.
Clark’s position is even sharper because of the venue. Shinnecock has rarely allowed anyone to run away from a U.S. Open, and changing wind can quickly turn a lead into a test of nerve.
With Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick among the nearest pursuers, Clark has made the first major statement. McIlroy now needs patience, clean approach play and a fast start when conditions give him one.
The next scoring swing is likely to decide whether this becomes Clark’s tournament to manage or a weekend scrap that pulls McIlroy and the rest of the chasers back into range.
