Runaway leader: Wyndham Clark commands U.S. Open while Scottie Scheffler clings to career Grand Slam dreams

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Not even Shinnecock Hills and its strongest test of the week in the U.S. Open could match the toughness of Wyndham Clark on Saturday.

Clark had a collection of par saves around the turn as Scottie Scheffler was making a move and poured it on with a 3-wood to 4 feet for eagle on the par-5 16th, leading to an even-par 70 that gave him a six-shot lead going into the final round.

Riding shotgun with him will be Scheffler, who finally got on track by making three straight birdies, shooting 32 on the back nine and at least keeping alive hope of a career Grand Slam.

But it’s a big mountain to climb.

No one has ever lost more than a five-shot lead in 125 previous editions of golf’s toughest test. Greg Norman in the 1996 Masters is the only player to lose a six-shot lead in any major.

“It’s all in Wyndham’s hands, really,” said Xander Schauffele, who faded with a pair of double bogeys on the back nine. “If he plays a really solid round of golf tomorrow – if he shoots even par or 1 over or 2 over – he’s going to win the golf tournaments. That’s how I think it’s going to pan out.”

Shinnecock Hills did its part, even after the strongest wind subsided. Only two players managed to break par in the third round – Emiliano Grillo in 30 mph wind in the morning before the leaders teed off, and Scheffler late in the afternoon with a 69.

Clark nearly joined them. After all his great saves, he missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole and finished at 7-under 203, the lowest 54-hole score ever at Shinnecock Hills.

“I’m pretty satisfied with 70,” Clark said, though he sure didn’t sound like it at times. From the thick rough right of the 18th fairway, his wedge went right and some 60 feet away from the pin.

“Gosh, I’ve hit some terrible shots today. This is ridiculous,” Clark said. He was leading by seven shots at the time, though he did put himself in some tough spots – 75 feet away on the downwind ninth, over the back of the green and down the slope on the 10th, a bunker on the scary par-3 11th.

He made par putts of 7 feet, 5 feet and 6 feet. And when he got in trouble on the 13th after trying to drive the green, he made a 15-foot putt for par. It was like that all day. And the lead kept growing, even with that short miss at the end.

“The only way that you catch somebody like Wyndham is the golf course starts to win against him,” Keith Mitchell said after his third successive round at 70. He joined Clark as the only player at par or better three straight rounds, and Mitchell was eight shots behind.

Clark went from scrambling to soaring with one shot. He was 275 yards away on the 604-yard 16th hole, with helping wind that made it a perfect 5-wood – except he didn’t have one in his bag. His caddie suggested taking a little off a 3-wood, and he played a high cut to perfection, getting a nice bounce short of the green as the ball rolled out to 4 feet.

It was the only eagle on the 16th hole all week.

“Really one of the shots of the tournament,” Clark said.

He now has one more round to add another U.S. Open title to the one he captured at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023. At his side will be Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, trying to turn Sunday into a most magical day.

At stake for Scheffler is a chance, a long shot at that, to get the final leg of the career Grand Slam, on Father’s Day, which also happens to be his 30th birthday.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on,” Scheffler said with a smile in his interview with NBC. “A special day. The tournament means a lot to me. Going to go out there and try to do my best and execute. I’ve been fighting like heck all week to stay in this tournament.”

NBC host Mike Tirico jokingly pointed out that he did not ask about the career Grand Slam.

“I think we’re all aware,” Scheffler said with a grin.

He said later in a press conference: “I think it’s appropriate to understand what’s at stake. ... We want to be in these positions. This is why we practice and play, to have the opportunity to win golf tournaments, and that’s what tomorrow is.”

Scheffler, who fell nine shots behind with a pair of bogeys at the start, shot 32 on the back nine by chipping in from 65 feet on the 14th for the start of his three straight birdies. His one big lament was missing a 4-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

He moved into the last group when Shinnecock Hills did a number on everyone else.

Sam Stevens, who closed within two shots of Clark on the front, started the back nine with three straight bogeys and closed with six straight pars for a 72. Tom Kim dropped two shots at the wrong time and shot 72. Sahith Theegala had one birdie, one bogey and 16 pars for a 70. That usually works at any U.S. Open, particularly this one.

All of them were at 1-under 209, leaving only five players under par.

Rory McIlroy was there, but only briefly. He made three straight birdies, including a putter from off the sixth green from 66 feet, and at one point only had one player between him and Clark. But just like the previous round, he lost ground with a series of mistakes and shot 73 to fall 10 behind. He left Shinnecock without speaking.