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June 18 (UPI) — Wyndham Clark demonstrated exceptional skills in his short game and successfully held off Rory McIlroy’s late surge to claim his first major title at the 2023 U.S. Open on Sunday at the Los Angeles Country Club.
“I feel like I’ve put in so much hard work and dreamed about this moment for a long time,” Clark expressed during the NBC broadcast. “There have been countless times when I visualized myself here, winning this championship.”
“I just feel like it was my time.”
Clark secured the U.S. Open Trophy and the $3.6 million prize by sinking a short par putt on No. 18, finishing with a four-round score of 10-under par. As the No. 32 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, he maintained an even-par 70 throughout his final 18 holes on the North Course.
McIlroy also achieved an even par score over his final 18 holes but finished one stroke behind Clark. The Top 5 finishers were No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (-7), No. 9 Cameron Smith (-6), No. 21 Tommy Fleetwood (-5), No. 65 Min Woo Lee (-5), and No. 45 Rickie Fowler (-5).
Prior to the final round, Clark shared the lead with Fowler at 10-under. He began the final round with birdies on three of his first six holes.
He secured another birdie on No. 14, granting him a three-stroke advantage. However, back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 allowed McIlroy to come within a stroke of the lead. Clark maintained his narrow edge by making par on his final two holes.
McIlroy birdied his first hole and achieved par on the following 12 holes. The No. 3 player in the world then made a bogey on No. 14, followed by pars on his final four holes.
“I hung in there and fought until the end,” McIlroy said. “I didn’t quite get the job done. I’ll keep coming back until I win another major.”
Fowler, who held at least a share of the lead through the first three rounds, made seven bogeys in his final 18 holes. He finished with a 5-over 75 in the last round.
The upcoming tournament on the PGA Tour schedule is the Travelers Championship. It will take place from Thursday to June 25 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
The next major on the schedule is the 2023 British Open, scheduled to be held from July 20 to 23 at England’s Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake.
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