It takes guts to win the U.S. Open. It takes all the more to stand up to Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. Yet Wyndham Clark never seemed worried or even intimidated. It’s the mark of great champions, and Clark became one Sunday night.
Conditions were perfect at the Los Angeles Country Club for the 123rd U.S. Open.
In the land of the Lakers and the Dodgers, there was the one who was no longer expected, the one who was expected and the one who should have been expected among the title contenders at the start of the final round.
Former rising star Rickie Fowler hadn’t won a tournament since 2019. Rory McIlroy had finished in the top eight in five of his last six majors. Then, most recently, Clark had won top honors at the Wells Fargo Championship played on the fairways of Quail Hollow Club, one of the toughest courses in North America.
Not counting Scottie Scheffler, Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele, also in the vicinity, Clark had to overcome three relatively imposing challenges to hope to end the day with the trophy at arm’s length.
First, tame the course, less and less permissive the more the tournament progressed. Then play without making mistakes. The margin was fine, if not minimal, between him and his pursuers. With these champions in the rearview mirror, you had to be perfect. Then, precisely, ignore all these modern golf bonzes, all capable of playing better than him in such a tense context. He eventually returned a cumulative score of -10.
The tournament ended, and out of breath, Clark crossed the finish line first as he wedged the last putt of the tournament. Beyond his inspiring game and exceptional attire, the 29-year-old American wasn’t playing alone.
His mother, who died of breast cancer in 2013, was with him somewhere. Even though he won his first career major tournament on Father’s Day, it was to his mother that he dedicated his first words as a champion.
“My mom was looking at me today. I wish she were here. I miss you, mom,” he said, trophy in hand and tears rolling down his cheeks.
Those tears, they flowed when he pushed the ball for the last time down the cup on the 18th hole. His brother, his sister and his spouse came to join him. The hugs followed and a huge sigh of relief was emitted. “I have dreamed about this moment for so long. I have seen it so often. To stand here in front of you. I think it was my turn. »
Clark was able to acquire his victory thanks to his precision, consistency and power. Three necessary elements to succeed in today’s golf, of course. But the most impressive thing is to do so in his seventh major tournament start. While Clark isn’t a whiz kid like his top-tier counterparts, he’s been brilliant at the right times. As if every time a rival wanted to escape, he stopped them. Like playing marmots in a fairground.
While his short game and his approach shots made a huge difference in the final result, his long distance shots also allowed him to stand out. He was stunning on the fourth hole, landing his tee shot just feet from the cup on that par-3 from 233 yards.
Then it was really on the 14th hole that he sent a clear message to everyone that no one would be able to dislodge him. His second shot on that 612-yard long par-5 landed on the green, giving himself a putt for the eagle. He finally managed a birdie. He himself called this streak “the best move of the week”.
It’s not for lack of trying, but McIlroy will once again have to settle for second. By far the most consistent player in a major tournament since his revival in 2019, the third-ranked golfer in the world fell short again, finishing second, one stroke behind Clark and a fifth major crown.
Since 2019, McIlroy has taken part in 18 major tournaments; 11 times he finished in the top 10, and five times in the top five.
It is also the third time in his career that he has finished second.
Usually it’s either the Thursday round or the Friday round that ruins his chances. Most of the time, McIlroy starts slow, but finishes strong. This week in California, the reverse happened. Rounds of 65, 67, 69 and 70 will not have been enough to return to a major title for the first time since 2014.
The Northern Irishman doesn’t have to scratch his head for long to put his finger on what went wrong. The answer lies in a piece of his equipment. And this is the most important of all. The straight iron.
The distance between his ball and the hole on important putts is the same that separates him from the title. Many times he touched the cup. If it weren’t for his lack of opportunism on the greens, the fate of this tournament would have been sealed by the half of the back nine. He finished the round averaging two putts per hole, ranking 50th among entrants. By the 13th hole, he had hit 12 greens in regulation, but only once did he need a single putt.
“I missed my chances with my putts. It was hard enough to get the ball close to the hole,” he said at the end of his round.
Between the second and 13th holes, McIlroy only made pars. However, to win major tournaments, you have to be abnormally opportunistic. And the 34-year-old knows that better than anyone.
“I fought until the end, but I didn’t finish the job. […] I know I am there. I’m almost there. The margin is so thin at this level. I have to keep putting myself in this kind of situation and good things will happen. »
After a disastrous streak on the 14th, McIlroy put pressure on Clark on the final four holes as the future champion tangled his brushes with bogeys.
Clark resisted, however, and with this triumph, he joined his mother among the Eternals.
Concurrent with the US Open was the Royal Beach Victoria Open in British Columbia, the first event of the PGA Tour Canada Tour season. For the first time in 10 years, a Quebecer has won top honors. Étienne Papineau, of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, was stunning with a final round of 64. He finished the tournament with a cumulative -18, five strokes ahead of Americans Chris Korte and George Kneiser. Last year, Papineau took part in the Omnium Waste Management in Phoenix. A few days ago, he also walked the aisles of the Canadian Open, where he handed out cards of 73 and 72.
