American Wyndham Clark has posted an even-par 70 to outlast Rory McIlroy and announce himself on centrestage, claiming the 123rd US Open for the first Major championship of his career at the Los Angeles Country Club.
With a 10-under 270, Clark edged the Northern Irishman, desperate to end his nine-year Major drought, by a single shot. Clark two-putted the 72nd hole from 60 feet for par, his winning tap-in unleashing a fountain of emotion, amid his celebration.
McIlroy also shot a 70 and didn't make a birdie after the first hole, never putting enough pressure on the less experienced Clark.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler (70) placed third at seven under, Australia's Cam Smith (67) was fourth at six under and American Rickie Fowler shot a 75 to drop into a tie for fifth at five, under with Tommy Fleetwood of England (63) and Min Woo Lee of Australia (67).
In his fifth full season on the PGA Tour, Clark, 29, won his first tournament last month, when he beat a strong field at the Wells Fargo Championship. He nonetheless flew under the radar entering the week, especially after Fowler and Xander Schauffele opened the championship with the first two rounds of 62 in US Open history.
After a birdie-bogey start, Clark stuck his tee shot at the par-three fourth to 5 feet and his approach at the par-four sixth to 4 1/2 feet, converting both birdies to reach 12 under. At the par-five eighth, he couldn't punch out of some grass nearly as tall as him on the first try and wound up with a bogey.
The par-three ninth was the first of five enormous par saves in a row, before the pivotal 14th. He gave an emphatic fist pump as a seven-foot par putt dropped.
McIlroy made a messy bogey at the par-five 14th hole and Clark followed behind him with a birdie, effectively a two-shot swing that gave Clark a three-shot cushion with four holes to play.
Clark's errant tee shots led to bogeys at each of the next two holes and his resolve was tested, when he pulled his approach at the 17th, while clinging to a one-shot lead. He chipped to a few feet to save par.
Fowler set a 72-hole US Open record with 23 birdies, but he also carded 18 bogeys, including seven on Sunday, after he held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds.
Kiwi Ryan Fox finished in a sixway tie for 43rd, carding a four-over 74 on the final day to finish five over par.
Reuters
