US Open: Wyndham Clarke takes big lead on final day as Scotty Scheffler boosts Grand Slam hopes at Shinnecock Hills Golf News

Wyndham Clarke will take a six-shot lead into the final round of the US Open, while Scotty Scheffler boosted his hopes of a career Grand Slam with an impressive display at Shinnecock Hills.

Halfway-leader Clarke took a huge step towards a second US Open title in four years after another impressive display, where she capitalized on the best conditions and her superb scrambling to post a level-par 70.

The American made a stunning eagle at the par-five 16th to clear the field, having already made two birdies and three bogeys in his round, with a final-hole bogey to move Clarke to seven under on the final day and one of only five players still in the red.

Clarke is in prime position to complete a wire-to-wire victory and a second worldwide victory in four starts, with 12 of the last 13 players holding a 54-hole lead by six shots or more to win a men’s major.

He will now pair up on Sunday with Scheffler, one of only two players to break par on Saturday, sitting in a tie-second at one under with the world number one as he chases the elusive major needed to become just the seventh man to complete the career Grand Slam.

Scheffler is at one under with Sahith Thigala, Sam Stevens and Tom Kim, in a level par group with two-time major winner Xander Scheffler, while Matt Fitzpatrick – playing with Clarke – dropped to one over after a four-over 74.

Tommy Fleetwood – runner-up at the 2018 US Open at the venue – and Colin Morikawa joined Fitzpatrick in a tie-10, while Rory McIlroy moved to a tie-17 and 10 strokes back after carding five back-nine bogeys in a third-round 73.

How Clarke extended historic lead at Shinnecock

A three-putt bogey at the first halved Clarke’s overnight lead as Stevens – playing two teams ahead – opened with a birdie, only for the 2023 champion to respond with a two-putt birdie at the fifth to drop back to seven under.

Clarke rallied to save the par at his next two holes but bogeyed the par-four eighth after finding the sand on his approach shot, avoided another dropped shot with a long two-putt at the ninth and saw him reach the turn two ahead.

Stevens opened his back nine with consecutive birdies to give Clarke a four-shot buffer, who holed out from 15 feet to save par at the 13th and made more impressive saves at the 10th and 11th.

Clarke saw a five-foot birdie at 14 canceled out by a close-range bogey at the next, before the 32-year-old jumped seven ahead with an incredible approach at the 16th and a 5-foot eagle.

A three-putt bogey at the par-four last cut Clarke’s lead but gave him a huge cushion heading into Sunday, the biggest – and breakthrough major – at a US Open since McIlroy’s wire-to-wire win at the 2011 event.

“If I’m honest, I think my lead should be a little bit more,” Clarke said told Sky Sports. “I’m disappointed about the bogey on the 18th (bogey) and the 15th.

“If you told me at the beginning of the week that I’d take a six-shot lead heading into Sunday, I’d take it.”

Scheffler started seven strokes back and fell further behind after opening with back-to-back bogeys, but responded with four birdies in a six-hole stretch on the back nine — including a spectacular chip-in off the 14th green — to move to one under.

“We’ve been battling hard for a few days, and I did a good job of holding my own in the tournament,” Scheffler said. “I’m going to need a really good round if I’m going to try to catch Windham.”

A round of the day 67 moved Emiliano Grillo into a tie-six with Schaffel, Keith Mitchell and Sam Barnes, while McIlroy fell 10 strokes behind despite being briefly within four after three consecutive birdies on his front nine.

Who will win the US Open? Watch the final round on Sky Sports Golf from 4pm on Sunday. Get Sky Sports or Flow without any contract.