Clark builds six-stroke lead heading into US Open final round

SOUTHAMPTON, New York, June 20 (Reuters) – Wyndham Clark built an impressive six-stroke lead heading into the final round of the U.S. Open on Saturday, leaving Scottie Scheffler with an uphill battle ​to clinch the career Grand Slam at a tricky Shinnecock Hills.

Clark had a four-shot head start through the first two rounds and held his ‌nerve through a third straight day of windy conditions in Southampton. The 2023 champion carded two birdies, an eagle and four bogeys for an even-par 70 to sit on seven under for the tournament.

World number one Scheffler (69) was in a four-way tie for second place at one-under par and has his work cut out if he is to become the seventh man to win all ​four of golf’s majors.

Scheffler shared second spot on the leaderboard with South Korea’s Tom Kim and Americans Sam Stevens and Sahith Theegala.

“It was ​very up and down, holy smokes,” said Clark. “I hit some good shots, I hit some terrible shots. I was a ⁠little frustrated with myself with some of the execution.

“At the end of the day I improved my lead, which is awesome, and I shot even ​par on a very tough golf course.”

After a bogey on the first hole and a birdie on the fifth, Clark faced a ​huge test of his mental resolve as he hit a shot into the bunker en route to a bogey at the eighth, setting his hands upon his hips and declaring it “the worst shot of my life”.

Picking up a shot on 14 and giving it right back on 15, Clark then produced one of his finest shots of the week, sticking his second from 275 yards ​at the par-five 16th to four feet to set up eagle.

His round would end on a sour note, however, after he somehow missed a short par putt on ​the 18th.

Even so, he heads into the final day with the odds squarely in his favour: Of the 21 players who have gone into the final round of a ‌major with ⁠a lead of six strokes or more, all but one have gone on to win.

“I’m trying to get more consistent. That’s something I’ve always wanted to be, and I think I’m trending in that direction,” said Clark, who is looking to turn the page on an embarrassing locker room incident at last year’s tournament.

“Today was very volatile. Hopefully tomorrow it can be definitely a little more low key, and hopefully I can play some boring golf.”

Players had to contend with ​a third straight day of tough conditions that have ​tested some of the field’s ⁠most experienced, including former champion Brooks Koepka, who had made the cut at his last 11 U.S. Open starts but did not reach the weekend this time around.

Scheffler, who won last year’s PGA Championship and British Open, was one of only two ​players to come in under par in the third round, along with Argentine Emiliano Grillo (67), who was in a four-way ​tie for sixth ⁠at even par through 54 holes.

“We’ve been battling hard for a few days, and I did a good job of keeping myself in the tournament,” said Scheffler. “I’ll need a really nice round tomorrow if I’m going to try and catch Wyndham.”

Back-to-back Masters champion Rory McIlroy (73) dropped out of contention with five bogeys on the back ⁠nine to ​sit three over for the tournament, alongside PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai (72).

Clark’s playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick, ​the winner in 2022, posted four bogeys on the front nine en route to a 74 and was eight shots off the pace.

Scheffler, who celebrates his 30th birthday on Sunday, will tee off ​in the final pairing with Clark on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. (1830 GMT).