Wyndham Clark Extends US Open Lead to 2 Shots as Sam Burns Bogeys No. 9

Q: After a bogey, Burns shot a 32. Does this mental toughness make him the real threat?

Yes — Burns’ response suggests he is a genuine threat, even if Clark remains the man to catch. The strongest evidence is the score itself. Burns made bogey at the 9th after a poor iron shot left him a delicate chip and a missed downhill par putt, yet he still turned in 32 at Shinnecock Hills, where gusts above 30 mph and firm, fast surfaces are punishing even good shots. On a U.S. Open setup, that kind of rebound is a meaningful sign of control. It also fits Burns’ recent pattern. At The Memorial, he recovered from a bizarre double bogey and played his way back into contention, later saying the key is to “brush it off, move on, focus on the next shot.” That is credible evidence of resilience rather than a one-off reaction. But mental toughness alone does not make him the favorite. The broader record is mixed: Burns has shown he can recover during rounds, yet there have also been recent Sundays where he failed to finish tournaments from strong positions. That matters in a major, especially against Clark, who is already a U.S. Open champion and has been the steadiest player in this championship. So Burns’ 32 after the bogey does make him a serious challenger. It shows the kind of emotional reset needed to win a U.S. Open. The remaining question is not whether he can absorb a mistake, but whether he can sustain that level and close over the final stretch.

Q: Can Wyndham Clark's historic lead survive Shinnecock's infamous difficulty and fierce winds?

Yes—but it is far from safe at Shinnecock Hills. Clark’s position is exceptionally strong. He has built a historic lead at the 2026 U.S. Open, and players holding this kind of 54-hole margin in majors almost always finish the job. He has also shown the right profile for Shinnecock: elite scrambling, calm course management, and the ability to make pars when approach shots don’t hold these firm, sloping greens, as seen when even well-struck shots by Clark and Scottie Scheffler ran off the 6th green. What makes the lead vulnerable is the course itself. Shinnecock is one of the most volatile U.S. Open venues, with exposed terrain, severe runoffs, and winds gusting above 30 mph. Greens are expected to keep firming up, and history here is full of leaders losing control as conditions worsen. Sam Burns’ bogey at the 9th was a small example of how quickly one imperfect iron or chip can turn into a dropped shot, even during an otherwise excellent stretch. Still, the burden on the chasers is enormous. Burns, despite a strong front-nine 32, is already losing ground. Scheffler remains dangerous, but he is not in full control of his game and would likely need a low round on a course where par is valuable. Unless Clark starts making mistakes in clusters, the combination of his cushion and current form makes him the clear favorite to survive Shinnecock’s test.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 21

Sam Burns dropped a shot at the ninth after a chip ran 8 feet past and his downhill par putt slid right, pushing Wyndham Clark’s lead back to two.
Burns still turned in 32 on the front nine, but the bogey erased the pressure he had created by getting within one shot.
At 5-under through 5, Clark led Burns at 3-under through 9, with J.T. Poston at 1-under through 14 and Keith Mitchell 1-under through 9.
Scottie Scheffler stayed in the chase at 1-under through 5 after he and Clark both watched approaches on the sixth feed off the green, setting up tricky recoveries in a tight final-round battle.