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Wyndham Clarke holds a four-shot lead at the halfway stage of the US Open, as Rory McIlroy loses ground after a rollercoaster second round at Shinnecock Hills.
After a fog-delayed first day, Clark returned Friday morning to par the last two holes of an opening-round 64, then mixed three birdies with two bogeys in a one-under 69.
The 2023 champion holed a long-range birdie on his final hole to move to seven under, the lowest 36-hole score in a US Open at this premier venue, putting him at the top of a star-studded leaderboard filled with past major champions.
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Wyndham Clark extended his US Open lead as he closed out a second-round 69 with an impressive long-range birdie.
Xander Schauffele moved into a tie-second with 2022 winner Matt Fitzpatrick and American Sam Stevens, with Colin Morikawa a further shot back after equaling the day’s round with a 5-under 65 in challenging conditions.
McIlroy threatened to be Clarke’s closest challenger when he reached the turn in 33 and out of the lead by four, only to post two birdies with three bogeys and a double bogey to post a one-over 71.
Joined by world No. 2 Scotty Scheffler, who posted a second-round 68 to complete the career Grand Slam, while two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau missed out on a third straight major.
Back-nine struggles as McIlroy chases Clarke
McIlroy holed out from 10 feet to save par from the first and had a patient start to his second round, setting up a two-putt birdie at the par-5 before a 393-yard drive to move him closer to Clarke.
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McIlroy birdied the par-five-fifth hole at Shinnecock Hills to start his second round and close with Wyndham Clark.
The six-time major winner slotted in a 15-foot birdie at the eighth but missed a six-foot effort on the par-five to get within three of the lead before bogeying the first three holes of his back nine.
McIlroy responded by firing a wedge into tap-in range at the 13th and nailing a 40-footer at the next, but undid subsequent bogeys – and moved back to level par – when he double-bogeyed the par-four 15th.
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McIlroy made three consecutive bogeys in the second round as he struggled with approach shots in strong winds.
The world No. 2 had to get up and down the par-five 16th to avoid a bogey at the 17th, McIlroy struggled with distance control during an eventful back-nine 38.
“I am Just kept hitting longer,” McIlroy told Sky Sports. “It was tough. I think our side played in the windiest of draw situations and the scores held up, but I held on as much as I could and hung on.
“Even going into the weekend it’s not terrible. Hopefully I can go in there and play the way I’ve been playing. I’m doing the right things. I made a few mistakes, which put me behind the eight ball, but still a really tough two days.”
Fitzpatrick, Scheffler chases Clark as Scheffler moves forward
Clark held a two-shot lead over Dustin Johnson after the opening round and briefly cleared five on Friday, the American posting back-to-back rounds in the 60s for the first time since his 2023 US Open victory.
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Dustin Johnson makes an eight on the par-four 14th to climb down the US Open leaderboard in the second round
“The big thing about it is I didn’t feel like I was at my best and I’m still leading,” Clarke said. “Hopefully I can bring my A-game on the weekend.”
Schauffele – who has never finished outside the top 15 at a US Open – posted a four-under 66 to move three under with Fitzpatrick, who birdied two of his last three holes, while Stevens (69) and Kim (67) completed the quartet for second behind Clarke.
Wyndham Clarke is chasing a second US Open win in four years
Just 10 players remained under par, including Justin Thomas, Sam Burns, Sahith Thigala and Harry Higgs, as Scheffler produced a much-improved display as he carded just one bogey in a two-under 68.
Last month’s PGA Championship winner Aaron Rye sits in a one-over group with compatriots Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, as DeChambeau made another early exit after posting back-to-back double bogeys in a five-over 75.
Jon Rahm played his first 21 holes bogey-free but missed the cut when he dropped six shots in a five-hole stretch during an eight-over 78, leaving him six over, with Victor Hovland (+5), Patrick Reed (+5), Shane Lowry (+6) and Adam Scott (+8) also failing to reach the weekend.
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