Wyndham Clark has admitted the Shinnecock Hills crowd “didn’t like” him after he held off Sam Burns to win the 2026 U.S. Open by one shot.
Clark closed with a three-over 73 on Sunday to finish four under par, edging Burns after a tense final round in New York. The 32-year-old became a two-time U.S. Open champion, adding the Shinnecock title to his 2023 win at Los Angeles Country Club.
The fresh twist came after Clark addressed the atmosphere around his final round. He said the crowd response was not always warm, with much of the attention around world No 1 Scottie Scheffler’s attempt to complete the career Grand Slam and the late pressure applied by Burns.
Why Clark’s admission adds edge to the win
The result already carried weight because Clark had led by six overnight before seeing that cushion squeezed dramatically. Burns signed for a closing 67, while Scheffler finished tied fourth after failing to turn his final pairing with Clark into a title charge.
Clark’s comments matter because they frame the victory as more than a statistical wire-to-wire major. He had to manage the scoreboard, the golf course and a gallery that, by his own admission, was not fully behind him, according to Sky Sports’ report on Clark’s crowd admission.
For ReadGolf readers, the wider point is clear: Clark’s second U.S. Open was not a cruise from the front. It was a survival job that now has a sharper emotional layer attached to it.
